


One Year

by susurrusshivers



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - College/University, Biting, Culture Shock, Fluff, Knotting, M/M, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, OC children - Freeform, Omega Verse, Pack Dynamics, Protectiveness, Scent Marking, Self indulgent really, Self-Lubrication, Smut, Unconventional Relationship, a lot of teaching about omegaverse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-05
Updated: 2017-09-21
Packaged: 2018-04-30 03:10:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 83,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5148095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/susurrusshivers/pseuds/susurrusshivers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As a requirement for their university, Yachi and Ennoshita must complete a yearlong project on the topic of the Sulia – a species that drew into isolation after nearly being pushed to extinction during the Great War between humans and Sulia. By the world’s good graces, they manage to gain permission to live on the island and learn about the Sulia in order to complete their project with adequate information. Little do they know what a wild ride they signed up for…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Impossible

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Ennoshita!” Yachi called, stumbling to catch up to her study partner. Ennoshita had stopped in front of their classroom door, looking back at her. It was after hours, so there were no classes at moment, but the lights in the room still glimmered from behind the door’s glass panes. He had his hand poised to knock, but shied when Yachi called his name. “What are you planning on asking?” she questioned, out of breath from her hurried sprint. “The professor can’t help us. We're not in high school anymore, we’re supposed to do this on our own.”
> 
> “Why don’t we at least try?” Ennoshita replied. “If he knows what we’re planning, he can at least tell us it’s a stupid idea and then we’ll figure out something else. But if this could work...”

It was nine PM on a Thursday and Yachi was one cup of coffee away from losing it.

“I’m really starting to get desperate here,” she whined, “This course is absolutely ridiculous. How on earth are we supposed to provide this kind of data without being amongst their kind and observing them straight out? Textbooks only do so much...” She rubbed at her eyes; they were tired and heavy from the lack of sleep she had gotten, substituting it for slaving over some way to go about this yearlong study.

Yachi’s partner for the assignment, Ennoshita, weighed in his thoughts, “Maybe that’s exactly what the professor wants us to do.” His hands ran exasperatedly through his jet black hair, the locks now tangled and disheveled from the late nights he’d spent trying to plan this project out with Yachi.

Yachi stared at him blankly. “And you do know that’s completely impossible, right?” She turned on her rolley-chair to face her partner. “They’re a very secluded species, and they don’t like it when humans interfere with them.”

Ennoshita crossed his arms, closing his laptop slightly and lowering it to rest on the bedspread. “How are you so sure? It’s been years since the last contact was made. Tensions must've died a little bit by then. Surely it couldn’t be entirely impossible to do, right?” he asked, raising his brows.

Yachi merely shrugged. “I wouldn’t know.”

Ennoshita stood up from his seat, grabbing his shoulder bag as he went and turned to the door. “Maybe we can find out.”

* * *

Nothing was ever calm in the den. The pack had always been on the boisterous side. It certainly didn’t help that things were getting far too cramped in their cozy little abode thanks to their slowly expanding numbers and now everyone had begun to encroach on each others' personal space. The overwhelming closeness only furthered tensions between the members of the pack, and with so many of them holding hectic schedules, no one could ever really feel at ease. Things would only continue to get more stressful and crowded with the new member to arrive in the coming autumn.

They really, really, needed to move to a new den.

Koushi sighed, rubbing the small bulge protruding from his abdomen. From his place on the sofa he cradled his sleeping seventeen-month-old son, Hotaru, in his arms and listened to the morning's commotion with a drained expression on his face. It was like this most days.

“Dammit, where’s my uniform? Daichi will kill me if I show up to practice again without it–” Tanaka bellowed, stomping through the halls in his underwear.

“Laundry bin,” Shimizu replied, her voice as tired as her face told. She tried to avoid staring at the garish pattern of Tanaka's boxers, but it was too loud to ignore.

Asahi looked panicked. But then again, it was a rarity to see him when he wasn't. “Yuu," he started timidly, "are you positively certain you don’t need me to stay home today? You look exhausted and it’s no trouble at all...”

“Asahi,” his mate growled, black and blonde hair disheveled from sleep in the early morning, “I can take care of her just fine on my own today! You’re going to get in trouble if you keep staying home any longer.”

“Shouyou, hurry up! You can’t sleep in when we have practice, dumbass!”

“It’s not my fault someone didn’t wake me up this morning!” The short omega snapped back, glaring at the towering alpha as he clambered out of their room, slipping on a pair of white sneakers.

“It’s not my job to wake you up in the morning!” Tobio growled.

Shouyou pointed an accusatory finger at his mate. "But you always do! I’m not used to it when you don’t!"

“My, my, my, is the royal couple already fighting so early in the morning?” Tsukishima smirked as he swaggered up to the pair.

“Nice, Tsukki!” Yamaguchi, a brown-haired, freckle-faced omega piped up from behind his courted. A small glare from the one with glasses caused him to shy back slightly.

Tobio scowled at the other alpha, instinctively stepping slightly in front of his own mate at the sight of him. His fists clenched. “The fuck is it to you?” he snarled bitterly. It was way too early to be getting involved in this.

“I just find it reassuring, perhaps. It only proves how much of a King you are, considering all you two ever do is claw at each others’ throats. My, you must hate your omega, don’t you?” Tsukishima challenged, drawing out his last sentence threateningly. He knew that statement was definitely taking it too far, but he was in a nasty mood this morning. He was sick of everyone getting in his business and getting in his space. The best way to get rid of his anger, he felt, was taking it out on his adversary.

Abyssopelagic eyes flared in rage and Tobio stormed forward, grabbing a fistful of Tsukishima's taut shirt, hoisting him upwards. He heard Shouyou call his name in pleading somewhere behind him, but he wasn’t letting this comment slide so easily. “Don’t,” he brought their faces close, glaring threateningly into Tsukishima’s eyes, “ _EVER_ say I don't care about my mate. You really think I'd have taken him as my mate just for fun? Bastard.” Tobio shoved his captive to the ground. “The person I care about most of all is Shouyou. _My mate._ " He regarded Tsukishima with a look of contempt and sneered, "But you don’t understand that, do you? You don’t have a mate.”

Tsukishima snarled and pushed himself up from the ground roughly, readying himself to swing at Tobio when a deep, commanding voice stopped everyone in their tracks. _“EVERYONE, STOP RIGHT THIS MOMENT OR I SWEAR I'LL BANISH YOU FROM THE DEN.”_ The omegas in the den shivered at the sound of the voice, their heads bowing in submission, the betas stayed silent and attentive, complying with their leader’s wishes, and every alpha in the den went stiff and bared their necks in a sign of respect. A tall alpha - though not quite as tall as Tsukishima or Tobio - thickly muscled, with shortly cropped hair and a squared face stood amongst the group. He sent the cowering congregation a sharp glare. “This is not the time to be bickering and fighting like a bunch of pups!” Daichi looked upon each of his pack members separately. He waved his hand at them dismissively before continuing, “Don’t just stand around! You all have somewhere to be, don't you!”

Everyone heading to practice quickly rushed out the door with their eyes averted, not wishing to further the wrath of their pack leader. As the door shut behind them, Daichi turned to his mate sitting exhausted on the gathering room's couch. “Koushi...” he cooed with affection.

Koushi turned his gaze upwards. “Daichi...” he replied with the same tenderness, “We can’t keep doing this every day.”

Daichi leaned down to kiss the soft silvery wisps of hair on Koushi's head. "I know, I know." His fingers kneaded into Koushi's tense shoulders. “I think moving to a new den is long overdue.”

“I completely agree,” Koushi sighed, rocking the little one back and forth in his arms as he did. Hotaru's snores were soft and quiet, the first slice of peace Koushi had seen all morning. He was forever grateful his son slept like a rock.

A short silence passed between the two before Daichi spoke again. “Do you think those two will go along with it, if they’re picked?”

Koushi thought quietly for a moment. Slowly, he nodded. “I think so. Shouyou has seemed antsy lately, and I know there’s more on his mind about the matter then he’ll confess to me.”

Daichi sat down next to his mate. “I think there are some reservations between the two that they aren't facing. I think they’re so comfortable in what they have now that they’re probably worried about breaking that.” Daichi sighed. “What a stubborn pair.”

“I know it’s natural for them to be worried but...” Koushi looked solemn, “It’s been two years, and that’s when I start to worry. You know its best we start when we’re young. We’re not exactly the most flourishing species...”

“I know Koushi. They’re both nineteen, and Tobio will be turning twenty this winter. They’ll work this out soon.”

Koushi pouted. “I'm not so sure. If they could avoid it forever, they probably would," he reasoned, "I don't want Shouyou feeling miserable. You might not understand, but once an omega gets those urges, it's painful and taxing to ignore them." Daichi quieted at that. Koushi looked at him silently. “They just need a little push in the right direction. As do our unmated..."

Daichi sighed slowly. "One step at a time, love. One step at a time."

* * *

“Ennoshita!” Yachi called, stumbling to catch up to her study partner. Ennoshita had stopped in front of their classroom door, looking back at her. It was after hours, so there were no classes at moment, but the lights in the room still glimmered from behind the door’s glass panes. He had his hand poised to knock, but shied when Yachi called his name. “What are you planning on asking?” she questioned, out of breath from her hurried sprint. “The professor can’t help us. We're not in high school anymore, we’re supposed to do this on our own.”

“Why don’t we at least try?” Ennoshita replied, “If he knows what we’re planning, he can at least tell us it’s a stupid idea and then we’ll figure out something else. But if this could work...” He trailed off and brought his hand to the door, pounding hard against its surface. Yachi jumped, her nerves frayed. She heard the drag of a chair scrape against the floor and then footsteps slowly approach, then the door opened to their professor. His blonde hair was slicked back, like always, and a headband kept flyaways from falling into his eyes. He was dressed casually, nothing but a T-shirt, faded jeans, and a sweatshirt with the university's logo printed in bold crimson tones. His arms were on his hips and a cigarette hung from his lips. This was Professor Ukai...

“What do you kids want?” he mumbled, taking a drag from his cigarette, "I'm trying to grade." 

“O-oh, we just...” Yachi started, feeling startled by her slightly intimidating professor. It didn’t help that his class was so demanding and forced her to work twice as hard as she would on a regular course. Pack Dynamics and A/B/O Biology really shouldn’t have been this difficult... right? She really thought she wanted to study this...

Ennoshita cut in, equally intimidated. He was usually pretty quiet around superiors and people he didn’t know well, so the situation wasn’t helping. “We’d like to talk about the year study, if we could.”

Ukai regarded them a moment, looking over their timid faces briefly before sighing and waving them into the classroom. He took a seat at his desk and propped his feet up on the surface, leaning back in his chair. “Well?” the professor prodded, looking somewhat bored.

Yachi jumped in place, fidgeting. “See, what we thought of was... somewhat impossible,” she began, shifting her weight from foot to foot. Ukai raised a brow. “We didn't know how else we would get the kind of data you wanted unless it was through our idea but...”

“Just tell me.”

“We wanted to observe them firsthand,” Ennoshita blurted. Ukai’s brows rose in surprise at the statement, and he went deathly quiet. Only the sounds of Yachi and Ennoshita’s heavy breathing filled the room, terse and unsteady. A hand rubbed at Ukai's mouth as he thought, and several uncomfortable minutes passed by as he stared them down. Eventually, he finally spoke to his students again.

“That’s...” he paused, thinking again, and both Yachi and Ennoshita held their breaths, ”...It’s an impressive idea. Difficult, but interesting to think about. I honestly didn’t think any of my students would ever propose something like that to me. You looking for some kind of extra credit or something?” They dissented stiffly. Ukai shrugged. “Whatever. It's a cute thought, but I can't see how you'd pull that off. The Sulia are a secluded kind, and they much prefer to keep things the way they are, away from humans. Attempting to intermingle amongst them, even for research’s sake, is not a wise idea.”

“Oh, okay. I see,” Yachi mumbled dejectedly. She knew it had been a stupid idea.

Ukai eyed their slumped forms again. He took another drag and sighed. “Still...” he paused, and the two students looked up eagerly at their professor, “you’re good students, you don’t cause trouble, and you’re both relatively quiet and obedient when given directions...” Ukai rambled mindlessly. His tired eyes looked off wistfully at the ceiling above. “Maybe,” he whispered, almost an afterthought.

The duo looked to each other in confusion.

Ukai removed himself from his lounging position to sit properly in the chair. He gave both students a once-over before settling on their eyes, almost melting holes through their skulls with the intensity of his stare. Both shifted uneasily. “There’s a way,” the professor said after a moment, yet still seeming uncertain himself, “I wouldn’t allow any other student to possibly embark on a study like this but...” Ukai sighed heavily again, “I trust you two to do the right thing.”

Yachi’s eyes widened in surprise and Ennoshita gasped. They exchanged glances. “W-we...can? Really?” Yachi asked, dumbfounded.

Ukai sent them a slightly irritated look at having to repeat himself. “Open your ears and listen when people talk to you," he grunted, "You’ll need permission from their leaders first, and for that to happen, you need someone who can get you that permission. Someone who lives on the island with them.”

Yachi felt her happiness drop. They didn’t have that kind of contact. Honestly she doubted if there was anyone anywhere who had that kind of contact. The Sulia were very, very seclusive. They preferred to keep their distance from humans after the Great War nearly caused their kind to go extinct. That was nearly a thousand years ago. Even still, they were struggling dearly to recover, even after all these years. After the war, keeping their population up was crucial for the Sulia, and much of their lives focused on rebuilding those numbers as much as they could, or else they would fade from existence entirely.

“We don’t–" she began, but a voice cut her off.

“I really didn’t expect you to.” Ukai stood up, gathering a piled of marked papers and colored pens and placing them in his bag. “If you did, I’d have been surprised.” He clasped the leather straps closed and slung his bag over his shoulder. He sighed again, for the umpteenth time that evening. “I’ll... handle it. You bunch of brats.” He pointed a finger at them, a slightly sour expression on his face. “But know that I’m only doing this so you’ll be properly educated on the dynamics of a pack and functions of each class! Don’t get any weird ideas.” He fixed them an ugly frown and shoved past, turning abruptly and making a swift exit down the dimly lit hall.

Yachi and Ennoshita watched his retreating form until he had gone entirely from sight, then turned to each other in a mixture of shock and surprise. Two thoughts were running through both their minds at that moment. One: Were they really going to that island to do their year study? And two: How in the world did Professor Ukai have contacts on the island?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm susurrusshivers! 
> 
> This is actually my first fic to post online, so I'm kind of nervous about it doing this. I had to work up a lot of courage to do this, so I hope you end up enjoying this story, even a little bit - it would make me happy. I'm really just writing this fic for my own indulgent purposes and I guess I thought maybe some other people might be interested in reading something like this as well? I write a lot of other stories, so maybe I'll post them at some point too if I can.  
> I really love Haikyuu!!, and I've always been fascinated with omegaverse fics. So I wanted to write my own! As of right now, the main pairings in this fic are going to be KageHina, DaiSuga, AsaNoya, and TsukkiYama, but I'll probably add more later. 
> 
> One final thing. The 'Sulia' name is something I came up with on my own. Broken down it means: su - nature; li - of; a - one. So it's like saying 'the nature of one's being'. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!~  
> *Edited: 11/6/2016


	2. Make It Happen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi met the curious face of his mate. His bones felt stiff and his mouth heavy with a lead-like weight. “Honestly…" he began, "I’m not entirely sure what just happened, but… I think we’re going to host humans in the den for a year.” 
> 
> _“...What?”_

The sounds of a crying toddler stopped Koushi from his tasks. He put down the fruit he had been cutting and walked as quickly as he could out of the kitchen to find out whatever it was that had made his son upset. He entered the cozy gathering room where he had left Hotaru to play with some toys. The child was crying, looking utterly distraught, and only wailed louder when Koushi entered the room and picked him up into his arms. 

“Shh…sweetie, what’s wrong?” Koushi hushed his child. 

The toddler let out a few more cries, quieting to a small whimper. Hotaru pointed at the ground at the toys he had been playing with. “Bwoke,” the child said simply, sniffling.

Koushi rubbed gently at his son’s back in an effort to calm him. He rocked back and forth on his feet and Hotaru cradled his head in the nook of his parent’s shoulder, still sniffling. “Aw, sweetie, it’s alright. Sometimes these things happen. It’s okay. Don’t cry.” Koushi gave his son a warm smile. “I’m sure we can convince your daddy to make you a new one.” 

Hotaru perked up and smiled brightly at the idea. “Yay! Thank you!”

Koushi merely kissed his son on the forehead, placing the child back on the floor to play and gathering up the split pieces of painted wood to dispose of them. He tossed the broken toy into a bin for recycling - certainly they'd be able to make use of it somehow. As he walked back into the kitchen, Koushi startled slightly and placed a curious hand against his abdomen. It smoothed over the swelling belly, searching, waiting. He wasn't certain if he'd been mistaken or not. It certainly wouldn't be the first time he'd gotten himself overexcited and imagined something that wasn't there. But on the other hand, Koushi was four-and-a-half months in already, so this was right around the time when it was supposed to happen…

A movement stirred beneath his hand, and Koushi froze. A subconscious smile tugged at his lips. He _had_ been right. “Daichi!” he called out, the excitement pouring into his voice. A few seconds passed and the sound of feet slapping against the hardwood floor met his ears. They came closer, and Koushi looked up into the worried eyes of his mate. 

“Koushi? What’s wrong?” 

Koushi shook his head. “No, nothing’s _wrong_.” Daichi's brows crinkled upwards. Koushi took his mate’s hands and placed them over his growing belly. “The baby’s moving,” he whispered. Daichi fell totally still and silent, his brows furrowed in concentration, as though he could will the child to move if he wished for it hard enough. His breath shallowed as he waited for any sign of movement beneath his palms. A few moments of apprehensive waiting passed and then there was a small little nudge against Daichi's calloused skin, a little roll of movement that breathed, _'I'm here'_. A smile pushed from his lips, and he took to rubbing affectionate circles across Koushi's belly. “You felt that right?” Koushi asked, his voice still low, afraid to break the delicate moment.

Daichi nodded and whispered back, “That’s the first time he’s done that, right?”

“It is!" Koushi replied, his excitement impossible to hide, "I was hoping it would happen soon and – wait, did you just say _he_?”

Daichi startled, looking somewhat flustered. His fingers scratched at the back of his head, and he shifted his weight between his feet. “W-Well, I just had a feeling it might be. Of course I could always be wrong, but... I don't know. There’s just been this feeling in my gut…“

Koushi laughed, a truly beautiful sound. “You want another son, huh?” His eyes crinkled in amusement, his hands curling over the rounded expanse of his belly. “Well, I'm sorry to tell you, but you'll have to wait until autumn, " he teased, "But of course there are always those old wive's tales that say they can predict a baby's gender. You know, like if you’re carrying high it’ll be a girl, and if you didn’t have morning sickness during the first trimester it’ll be a boy.”

“I trust your judgment more,” Daichi said, “You’ve got the baby in there, and well, you work at the hospital too. I'd be more inclined to bet on your intuition than over some silly old myths.” Koushi chucked, but a knock on the den's front door interrupted their conversation. The couple exchanged curious looks. They weren’t expecting any guests today. Daichi paced away from his mate and entered the front hall, opening the polished oak door to a surprising sight. “C-Coach Ukai?" Daichi stuttered, shocked, "What-um… this is certainly… a surprise…”

Ukai looked mildly exhausted and distraught. The skin beneath his eyes had grown dark and was sagging from an obvious lack of sleep and his limbs moved slowly as though a heavy weight was holding them down. Ukai dismissively waved at the air with the back of his hand. “I know. It’s been a while. I’m really sorry, to all of you. It’s really a long story and to offer a proper explanation would take hours.”

Daichi was dumbfounded. “I mean… I… at least… where have you been?”

“The mainland. A university there. I teach the humans about Sulia.” 

“And… what prompted that?”

Ukai sighed heavily. “I ended up on the mainland by accident. I didn't have an easy way back at the time, so I asked around, forged a couple of papers, and found a job that would earn me something so I could come back home." He avoided Daichi's eyes. "The university was just a convenience, but I thought it'd do some good. The people there are... ignorant, at best. They view us like beasts, did you know that?”

“I assumed.”

“It was probably a pointless thought but, while I was there I just wanted to change one person’s mind," Ukai admitted, "Then... maybe they could change other people’s minds as well."

“Well,” Daichi hesitated, “...is that really your place? It might be an admirable goal but I don’t think the task should fall to you. I mean, you have your whole family to worry about. What about Ittetsu? Your kids?”

“I don’t want to be away from them. Don’t get that impression." Ukai paused. His fingernails dug painfully into his dry palms, a pathetic punishment that granted no relief. His shoulders fidgeted and he surrendered a heavy breath, like all his worries were tumbling forth. His voice was that of a lonely man, "Every day I’m gone is hell. I think about them all the time: if Ittetsu's okay and if Jun and Seiichi are causing him trouble or if they miss their father..." Ukai slowly trailed off, his eyes lost. "I do seriously wonder whether it's been worth it.”

“Has it been? Worth it, I mean?”

Ukai locked eyes with Daichi. His voice turned serious, “That’s what I’m here to find out.” Daichi’s stomach churned sickly at the words, his subconscious screaming in warning. Ukai watched Daichi pale and slapped his shoulder hard to rouse him from his beginning panic. “Listen for a moment, and try not to immediately reject what I’m about to say.” Slowly, the younger nodded in agreement. “Imagine this: You and your pack host two human students for one year in your den so they can research and learn more about our kind. You show them what we’re really like, and erase their ignorant mindsets. Take them around the island, visit some of the festivals, get to know them, the whole shebang. Then, when they leave, they’ll pass on the good experience to others and educate their closed-minded population." He took a breath. "…Thoughts?”

Daichi was silent as Ukai’s words gestated in his brain. It was a dangerous and frightening prospect - not just the thought of humans on the island, but especially the thought of humans in _their_ den. They had toddlers, newborns, and a pregnant omega within for goodness sake! Daichi also knew that there were a few alphas in the pack that were especially protective, and would probably not bode well if humans showed up on their doorstep. Violence would likely erupt. Daichi frowned as all the flaws presented themselves. “I don’t know if it’s possible," he started, "We have little ones and a baby on the way, and there could possibly be more of us expecting pups in the near future, a-and some of our pack members are very prone to violence when they feel their mate is any sort of danger, no matter how small–"

“Would you feel better if I check around regularly to ease your worries about the humans?”

Daichi opened his mouth to object, but closed it again. That sounded… somewhat better. Not perfect, but Ukai was trustworthy, and if his story sung true, than he had been around humans more than any other Sulia on the island. Well, really, the Sulia didn’t interact with humans _at all_ , so any interaction Ukai had with them would pretty much give him the prize. “I don't know… maybe,” Daichi slowly admitted after a moment’s hesitation, "Fixing relations sounds nice and all, but I don't know if my pack is really the best choice for this..." 

Ukai nodded. “So… that’s a yes?” he confirmed, unhearing to Daichi's continuing concerns.

Daichi granted him a perplexed expression. “What, no, I said _maybe–_ "

“Great, thanks. You’re really saving me here,” Ukai cut in again and started walking off, calling his last words over his shoulder, “I’ll have them here in a week!”

Daichi watched Ukai’s retreating figure until it had disappeared from view, then turned dumbfounded back into the den, shutting the door behind him in a daze. He approached the gathering room where Koushi and Hotaru were both sitting on the couch, giggling and playing together. Upon seeing his mate’s perplexed expression, Koushi paused to make inquiry. “Is something wrong?”

Daichi met the curious face of his mate. His bones felt stiff and his mouth heavy with a lead-like weight. “Honestly…" he began, "I’m not entirely sure what just happened, but… I think we’re going to host humans in the den for a year.” 

_“...What?”_

* * *

After Yachi and Ennoshita had spoken with Professor Ukai about their project idea, his appearance around campus and to his classes started to dwindle. On the Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays when the duo had class with the professor, they were often met with a sign on his classroom door that simply stated class had been cancelled yet again. Ennoshita didn’t mind too much when this happened because then he was free for the next hour to work on his personal film project, but Yachi's anxiety got the best of her in every situation, and she grew immensely worried as her professor's absent behavior dragged on for three weeks straight.

It was on one particular Friday when June’s heat had become unbearably hot that there was a break in the routine. Professor Ukai hadn’t shown up to class again, leaving many students disgruntled as to why he even bothered teaching any longer if he wasn’t even around anymore. But that wasn't the strange part.

Late that same evening, Yachi slammed her calculus textbook shut with a groan. Math wasn’t her strongest subject. She did just fine in school, but the subject still managed to stress her out regardless. She had plenty of stress on her plate already, so she certainly wasn't looking for any more. And now with Professor Ukai gone almost entirely, she was stuck with nothing to work with for her year project. The standard textbook hardly helped and all online sources basically read exactly same or were littered with negative biases. Yachi was honestly beginning to believe that her professor had duped her into believing that Ennoshita's crazy idea of studying the Sulia was actually possible. Now that he'd convinced the both of them, Ukai was avoiding them like the plague, and she and Ennoshita were basically doomed to fail this class. Yachi frowned. She felt stupid for believing him.

A hard rap on her dormitory door shook her from her gloom. Her face crinkled in confusion. Who would be visiting her so late at night? It's not like she had a boyfriend or anything...

Yachi sighed in realization. “It’s probably Ennoshita, he left his laptop in here earlier...” she mumbled to herself and slid off her unmade bed to walk across the pristine yet confined dorm room and pull open the door. “Enno," she started, "you can’t keep leaving your stuff in my room all the time. I don't have time to be... your... maid...” Yachi's words slowed to a stop as she gazed upon someone who definitely wasn’t her study partner. “P-Professor?!” she stuttered in surprise, completely taken aback by her professor knocking on her door at one in the morning. This was a little weird...

Ukai winced at her loud exclamation, placing his palms over his ears. “God kid, you are so noisy,” he complained, pausing to pull out a fresh cigarette.

Yachi gaped and watched as Ukai pulled out a lighter and lit up. “I-I’m sorry but... you’ve practically been missing for almost a month now. I'm j-just a little confused.”

“Well, I’ve been _busy_. It’s not exactly easy convincing a species that drew into isolation out of fear of humans destroying them to so willingly accept two of the very beings they fear so you can complete a little research project.” Yachi gulped as Ukai glared holes into the wall at the back of her room.

“I wasn’t sure you were really going to help us...”

Ukai frowned. “What else would I have been doing all this time?” Yachi shrugged pathetically. “You two are damn lucky, that’s for sure. I don’t know what finally managed to convince them, and frankly it might've been better if they'd said no, but regardless..." he paused, "You’re going.”

A small lapse of silenced passed as Yachi processed the newfound information, and when she finally did, her breath caught in her throat. She felt her heart swell at the professor’s words. Certainly this couldn't be true! Was this a lucid dream? Yachi had never had one before, but she might like to imagine they were something like this. Somehow, whether in truth or constructed by the deepest desires of her tired mind, she and Ennoshita were going to _the island_. They were going to be the first humans to see and interact with the Sulia in over 900 years! Yachi’s eyes lit up as she imagined all the things she would learn there that she could never know from the professor’s class or some shoddy old textbook. _She was going to meet the Sulia._

“Don’t get overexcited,” the professor quickly scolded, reading her expression, “If you freak out while you're on the island, the Sulia might take you as a threat and you’ll get hurt when they lash out to protect themselves. What I’ve taught you in class so far is only scratching the surface of their dynamics. Watch the way you act, or you’ll get burned.”

Yachi swallowed painfully, nodding furiously at Ukai's words. Just how dangerous were the Sulia?

Ukai turned his gaze down the hall, focusing on some noise that wasn’t there. “You leave in three days, so that’s how long you have to gather together whatever supplies you need for this study before we set off. And whatever you do: Don't. Waste. Time.” Yachi opened her mouth to speak, but her professor swiftly turned and waltzed down the hall, leaving her hanging. 

Perhaps she wasn't dreaming after all.

* * *

The paper crinkled beneath Daichi's hands. It was an advertisement. “This one certainly does look nice...” he mumbled in thought, and Koushi shifted closer to view the bold black text printed across the yellowed sheet. The advertised den was painted on neatly and a little blurb below the detailed image described the specs. Daichi mindlessly listed them off, “A large dining room, upgraded kitchen, spacious gathering room, _and_...” Daichi turned to give his mate a glance, “...plenty of bedrooms and space for everyone in the pack. There’s spare too. Our guests can stay there.” 

Koushi hummed to himself as he looked over the details. He gave his mate a sidelong glance and leaned back into the cushioned chair that sat next to their cramped bedroom's tiny desk. “It does look really nice, but...” Koushi trailed off, wincing at the sore pain in his back, “just think of how much competition we’ll have to face going in for it," he continued, "We’d have to act really fast if we want to get there before any other packs try to claim it.”

Daichi smirked proudly. “I have the utmost confidence in my pack, Koushi. We’re strong, and we’re fighters. We’ll be just fine." He folded the paper up four times. "It’s not the competition that I’m worried about anyway.”

Koushi gave his mate a knowing look. “You really don’t think they’ll go through with it?”

Daichi shrugged. "Well, they haven't worked out their issues, so I can see the proposition being stressful for them." He pocketed the advertisement into his loose, cotton pants. "You know the Claiming was for more than just marking territory. They'll worry about the implications."

Koushi sighed, frowning. “Well, _you_ know that's not the case anymore. Everyone else knows that too. It’s more about the meaning behind the action, Daichi," Koushi reasoned, "Besides, it’s really rare for a pregnancy to actually come out of it anymore. They should both know that if we ask them to handle it this time that our intentions are only for them to grow closer and open up about their desires." Koushi leaned in, eyeing his mate with a pointed stare. "Daichi. They’re not talking. They need to start communicating or Shouyou is really going to start hurting for holding himself back." He paused for emphasis, "I really think this could help them work things out.”

Daichi looked back into Koushi's eyes silently. His mate was speaking the truth, and at his core Daichi also knew that this was probably the best solution for the stubborn pair. He bit his lip, hard. Perhaps he really was just being far too paranoid about the entire situation. But as the pack leader he almost had to be. Daichi was the glue that provided support and guidance to his followers. His job was to alleviate tensions and promote a strong unity between individuals, mated pairs, and the pack as a whole. While the situation between his current subjects was very critical to remedy with care and consideration, Daichi also had to think of the well-being of the entire pack here. They could not continue living in a den that couldn’t hold their growing numbers and two extra guests. They had to move, and they had to move now. In order to move, those two needed to iron out their kinks.

Daichi turned to give his mate a meaningful look. “Why don’t we go talk to them for a bit?”

* * *

_‘Hey mom, I was just calling to let you know that I’m going to be gone for…um…a little while. I don’t really know what else to say besides that. I-I’m fine, though! It’s a school thing, I have this project and well…I didn’t expect it to go as far as it is. I wish I could tell you more about where it is I’m going, but I honestly don’t know much myself. That island, do you know the one? No one’s ever been there but, would you believe me if I said I was going? I-It sounds crazy, I know, I almost feel like it isn’t real, but…yeah. So, um…call me back soon? I know you’re really busy but, I want to talk to you before I go. Um, love you!’_

“Hitoka, what on earth were you going on about in your message?” The sound of her mother’s voice echoed from the phone pressed against Yachi’s ear. “What’s this about going away and an island and some project – explain.”

“A-Ah, um, it’s hard to really explain,” Yachi stuttered, “See, I have this project for my course on the Sulia, and the best idea my partner and I had was going to that place.”

The line was silent for a moment. “…You’re not playing a joke on me are you? Hitoka, this is very strange behavior–"

“I-It’s not a joke at all! I’m being serious here!” Yachi burst, “It was an idea that somehow managed to happen and now I’m going away to the island for a year.”

“Mhm,” her mother hummed in a non-believing tone. “And that just… happened? Miraculously you found a way to go?”

“Well, I mean… that’s not completely wrong.” Again her mother hummed non-committedly, sending Yachi into a panic. “I-It wasn’t really us! It was our professor! He said he’d handle it and then, I don’t know, all of a sudden we were told we were leaving in a few days…”

The line went silent. “Which professor is this again?”

“Professor Ukai.”

“Hm.” Her mother paused. “Hitoka, if you are being completely honest with me, then I’m going to look into this a bit myself. I want to investigate this professor of yours.” 

“Mom–"

“I’m trying to look out for you, honey. I don’t want you going anywhere you shouldn’t be going and doing things you shouldn’t be doing. Your safety is very important. Now, I have a meeting in ten so I’ll talk to you soon. Have a good day, I love you.”

The call ended abruptly and Yachi stared at her phone blankly. She didn’t expect her mother to do anything too drastic – she never would, but the next day she was proven wrong when she stepped out from her dorm and was flagged by someone snapping her photo and an eager reporter hammering her with questions: _‘Is it true you’re going on an expedition to the Sulia’s island? What kind of research are you planning on conducting? How did you manage to gain contact with the Sulia? How has your professor helped you with this feat? What do you think you’ll find? Are you scared, nervous, apprehensive?’_

Yachi’s head was spinning; she was frightened of the persistent stranger and immensely overwhelmed since she didn’t know how to properly answer any of the questions thrown her way. She fast-walked her way to her morning class and whispered quiet praise to the blessed sanctuary of the school building where the reporter could not follow. She found her way to her first lecture and plopped herself at the back of the classroom, throwing her face in her hands. Yachi didn’t move until her phone vibrated from inside her bag. She pulled it out, and groaned as she read the text upon her screen.

> **Friday, June 26; 8:59 AM**
> 
> **Sender:** Ennoshita Chikara
> 
> **Subject:** Plz help 
> 
> **Message:** Hey, um Yachi did anyone stop you outside your dorm today and ask a bunch of questions about the project and the professor cause I’m going to be really freaked out if it’s just me'  
> 

The next couple days were going to go by way too slow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I am here with chapter two for you all.
> 
> Okay, wow - first of all I just want to say thank you to everyone who left kudos, comments, or bookmarked this fic! Thank you so much for your feedback! I was just smiling so much the past week despite some troubles I've been having - so thank you. And thanks to everyone who decided to read as well; I'm glad you thought my story was interesting enough to take a look at.
> 
> We're slowly working our way up to our encounter between our two students and the illusive Sulia! (I'm so looking forward to the chapters where I don't have to do all this jumping around)  
> *Edited: 11/6/2016


	3. The Claiming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Tobio," Shouyou pleaded, his eyes growing docile and submissive as they always did just before Tobio would pounce, "...this is really bothering me now.” He squeezed Tobio's palm again, a silent message.
> 
> “The smell?”
> 
> “Yeah.”
> 
> Tobio returned with a squeeze of his own. He suddenly found the floor to be very interesting to look at. “Then..." he started slowly, "do you want to... get rid of it?” There was another small squeeze from Shouyou's hand.
> 
> “...Yeah.”

A small group of five bustled their way across town, running as fast as their feet would take them. They were going to have that den for their own. Right now, they needed it more than anything else. Daichi led the group, his strides swift and purposeful as the four members of his pack who’d opted to follow along on the endeavor pattered along behind him. It was quiet, for once, among them. Whether the quiet was from the time crunch they were currently under or perhaps some more... _daunting_ matters, everyone kept their thoughts to themselves.

Shouyou ran along beside his mate. Things had been a little weird between them ever since that discussion with Daichi and Koushi, and he didn’t know whether he was more bothered by that or _the other thing_. They were kind of connected so he supposed it didn’t matter. He glanced up apprehensively at Tobio beside him. Shouyou could feel the tense aura radiating off the taller male - he was anxious. That was reassuring in a way – Shouyou was anxious too. But he wasn’t sure if it was for the same reasons.

 

_“We really think you two would be best for the Claiming,” Koushi said._

_Both Tobio and Shouyou jolted in their seats at the dining table. The four of them – Tobio, Shouyou, and the two pack leaders – had gathered together for what was deemed ‘an important talk’. But Tobio wasn't expecting this. “You want us to...” he trailed off, the shock of Koushi’s statement still sinking in._

_Daichi spoke this time, “As leader of the pack, it’s my job to look out for the wellbeing of my members. I’m not blind to what you two try to hide.” He sent both of the flustered mates a glance. “There’s something you’re both thinking about, but neither of you approach the other to talk about it. Don’t you know how important communication is between mates?” Tobio sent a small glance at his mate beside him, who held his head low. Shouyou looked undeniably guilty and Tobio’s heart wrenched at the sight. “You both understand what we’re trying to help you with, right? We don’t want you two to keep running from this any longer.”_

_Shouyou let out a shaky breath. He looked like he was on the verge of crying, and Tobio desperately wanted to reach out and hold him close. But it was like there was some sort of invisible barrier restraining his movements, latching him to his seat in a fixed position that he couldn’t break from. What is someone supposed to do in a situation like this? One where they don’t know how the other person feels at all, but still they can’t shake the feeling they’ve done something wrong – something to cause pain. A situation where guilt eats at the spirit from all angles, renders the mind immobile with clenching fear and anxiety, and shakes the foundation of all that’s been built? Tobio couldn’t say he had the experience to know any of the answers. He hated not knowing what to do – he always hated when he didn’t know how to handle things; there was a pride that came from being in control – and he especially hated seeing Shouyou upset. It stirred up such unpleasant feelings inside him. Seeing Shouyou sad or upset was like losing all the light in the world. Without his smile, everything was dull and dark._

_Tobio’s own heart filled with a mirroring guilt, spilling over. Could he right what’s been wronged even if he didn’t know what he’d done in offense?_

_Tobio met eyes with Daichi and Koushi. Underneath the table he reached for Shouyou’s shaking hand. His mate watched him, gripping tightly to Tobio with newfound reassurance. Tobio spoke with a voice full of determination, “What do you want us to do?”_

 

The conversation with the pack leaders continued to echo in Tobio’s mind. He couldn’t get Daichi’s words out of his head or the pitiful expression on Shouyou’s face when the pack leaders had brought up exactly what he and Shouyou had been avoiding discussing. The pair had first talked about it shortly after their first time; perhaps a day or two after their bond had finally been forged completely, shining fresh and new. Shouyou had approached him saying that he wasn’t sure if he was quite ready to get pregnant yet. And that was perfectly okay with Tobio. He sure as hell wasn’t ready for pups either. 

They didn’t really discuss the topic much after that, though a few months later Shouyou would occasionally talk about wanting a big family and would gush over Hotaru and then later, Yuu’s daughter Nariko. That should’ve been the first sign that Shouyou wanted to talk about it. But Tobio hated that he was too dense not to see it. He’d just assumed all this time that Shouyou still wasn’t ready, and yeah, he was still perfectly okay with that. He didn’t care so much, he was happy just being with his mate.

But he couldn’t have been more wrong.

Everyone continued to remain silent until the group approached the new den they planned on occupying. It was burrowed into the hills, like most dens were, and the forest stretched out over the grassy, mounded rooftop. A wooden door stood as an entrance to the den, and circular glass paneled windows lined the flattened portion of wall where the door sat. A step-stone walkway led up to the entrance from the street.

Daichi turned to face the group. Tanaka was circling around, keeping a watchful eye out for any hopeful groups of alphas that might also have made their way here to stake a claim on the empty den. Tsukishima merely stood at the back of the group, also holding watch, but maintaining a particular interest in the alpha-omega duo that had tagged along. The pack leader waved the pair in question over, and they obediently approached him, still as mute as ever.

“There are no signs that this den has been claimed yet, nor have we seen any other groups around staking the area out,” Daichi said, “I think it’s safe for you two to begin the Claiming then.”

Daichi gestured to the den behind him, and the pair nodded weakly at their leader. He gave them a reassuring smile, patting both of them on their shoulders. “Ease up, you two. You’ll be much better off as a pair once you finally start discussing the problem with each other. This is a start for you.” He gave them both one last glance before starting off with the others. He did stop momentarily, seeming to remember one last detail, turning back to the duo. “Oh, and please make sure you get your scent around the _entire_ den. It’s much healthier for Koushi and the young ones to settle into surroundings that are filled with familiarity. The scents of foreign alphas, betas, and omegas will not be a comforting environment for them. So, please be thorough.” As he finished speaking, Daichi turned away, shoving two snickering alphas along with him. Tanaka let out a hoot only to receive a firm smack on the head from Daichi. This left a fiercely blushing pair standing alone in front of the new den, their task awaiting them.

Tobio shared a quick glance with Shouyou, but ducked his head away quickly after making eye contact. Why was this so awkward? 

Shouyou twirled a piece of his hair in one of his fingers and distracted himself by drawing odd shapes in the ground with the toe of his shoe. Tobio glanced at him again, then to the door, surrendering a harsh breath as he did his best to kick his anxiety to the curb. It didn’t work really, but he could pretend. He felt a hand slip into his own, and finally met eyes with Shouyou. A weak but earnest smile flickered back at him, and Shouyou squeezed his palm.

Tobio nodded, allowing his omniscient understanding of Shouyou’s actions to peak through, and pushed open the new den’s unlatched door. Holding tightly to his mate’s hand behind him, Tobio was instantly assaulted by a wave of unpleasant smells. He heard Shouyou cough loudly behind him, and the smaller male put a hand up to cover his nose and mouth.

“It smells really bad in here,” Shouyou said through his palm, coming to stand beside Tobio in the small entrance hall. “That alpha stench is really overwhelming. Makes my skin crawl.” Shouyou coughed again and stood even closer to his mate, seeking the comfort Tobio’s presence and scent provided.

Tobio wrapped an arm tightly around Shouyou’s shoulder and securely latched the door shut behind him – he didn’t want anyone trying to burst into the den while they were _preoccupied_. Feeling confident that they would have privacy, Tobio walked them across hardwood floors and into the gathering room straight across from the entranceway. He appraised the air, carefully examining the mix of scents. “It must’ve been a pack full of unmated,” he deduced, “I’m really only making out a bunch of alphas. Not a single omega, not even a beta.” His nose crinkled upwards and he grunted. “Probably a bunch of shitty high-schoolers. What the hell were they doing with such a big den?” Tobio frowned. “Greedy little bastards.”

Tobio felt Shouyou’s form shaking beside him. Shouyou’s discomfort was wholly obvious in his distressed scent - the smell of so many foreign alphas clearly intimidated him, and Tobio took to holding him just a little tighter. “It’s just me, Shou,” he placated, “They left a few days ago, most likely.”

“I know, I know, I just can’t really help it that much.” Shouyou cursed his instincts.

“Do you want to look around first or do you just want to... start?”

Shouyou's hand twisted in Tobio’s shirt. "It’s okay," his voice wavered, "I’m fine to check the place out."

Tobio watched him carefully a moment, then gently tugged Shouyou along as they explored the rest of the den. There was a large dining area through an archway off to the left of the gathering room, and a long, polished table had been left behind in the space. The kitchen connected to the dining area, a spacious yet cozy space with cherry cabinetry and limestone countertops, a metallic industrial sink and a cast iron wood-burning stove. On the opposite end of the kitchen a small arch led out into the hallway, and the pair peeked in at the many separate bedrooms that were found in the halls. They soon made their way back to the gathering room, entering through the connected the hallway that lead to the central room. 

“It’s really nice, don’t you think?” Shouyou asked, his typical cheeriness finally returning to his voice as he spoke. Their closeness was clearly calming him.

Tobio made a noise that spoke to his agreement. It really was a nice den. There was far more space here than in their old accommodations, so perhaps finally everyone would stop picking fights with each other over the stress of being so cramped up. But technically the den wasn’t theirs, not quite yet. They still had to claim it. Tobio tensed slightly. No, this wasn’t the time to get all worked up. They were just mating to mark the den as belonging to new owners now. It's no like they were trying to have pups right now or anything...

“Tobio.”

The sound of his name shook the alpha from his thoughts. He met the shy gaze of Shouyou, who was twiddling his thumbs and shifting around on his feet. Since when did they become so nervous about this? It’s not like this was their first time having sex – that was practically two years ago. By now they'd grown quite close intimately and were leagues more comfortable expressing their sexual wants and needs with each other. It must just be the circumstances that had them so on edge.

“Tobio," Shouyou pleaded, his eyes growing docile and submissive as they always did just before Tobio would pounce, "...this is really bothering me now.” He squeezed Tobio's palm again, a silent message.

“The smell?”

“Yeah.”

Tobio returned with a squeeze of his own. He suddenly found the floor to be very interesting to look at. “Then..." he started slowly, "do you want to... get rid of it?” There was another small squeeze from Shouyou's hand.

“...Yeah,” Shouyou breathed, voice quiet, yielding. His rounded cheeks were blossoming pink, and Tobio thought he just might like to make them flush further. He reached a tentative hand up to cup the smooth, warming skin, and he felt Shouyou lean into his palm, immediately receptive. Tobio placed a gentle kiss on the crown of his head, relishing in the sweet citrusy scent the smaller body gave off. Shouyou purred, a sound Tobio's alpha quite liked to hear, and nestled against him tightly. Tobio found his hand coming to rest on the nape of Shouyou's neck, massaging gently. Scruffing coaxed natural instincts to relax Shouyou's tense form, his body growing pliant beneath the targeted touch.

The hesitance was gone. Tobio kissed him sweetly upon the forehead, then paid similar attention to Shouyou's buttoned nose and squishy cheeks, before tenderly touching his lips to the waiting pair. It was a chaste kiss, a soft expression of love that needed no words. Shouyou tasted just as good as he smelled, all fresh and sweet and warm. He encompassed the essence of a mid-summer's morn, of lazy days spent in leisure. Tobio wanted to lose himself in the heat of it all.

Shouyou whimpered when a tongue requested entrance. His stomach coiled but he embraced it, his arms coming to hook around Tobio's neck and his fingers curling in the pressed cotton shirt, meeting Tobio's tongue in a wet slide. Tobio smelled of a smokey musk and tasted of rich flavors, reminiscent of the kind of meal only royalty had the pleasure of dining upon.

Soft little sounds escaped Shouyou's mouth and danced into his mate's, and Tobio's hands pressed tighter around his waist at every gentle noise. One slid up the small of Shouyou's back, and he shivered, prickly little goosebumps forming on his skin, though it was anything but cold. Fingers found purchase in his wild ginger locks, granting Tobio leverage to tug him deeper into the kiss.

The broke apart only when the need for air became prevalent, their breaths coming hot and heavy from their open mouths. Tobio kept him close, his nose rubbing affectionately against Shouyou's. His fingers pressed into the omega's curving waist - the pressure was satisfying - and his hips rolled firm against Shouyou's. The friction dragged slow and steady against him, and he pressed back against it, craving more. He moaned loud, his omegan instincts curtailing any other thought. Shouyou was nothing but a mess beneath his alpha's touch, just begging to be fucked.

“Tobio...” he whimpered, voice high and ragged, “...Please.”

Tobio's gaze fell full victim to lust. He was hardening fast, his hips bucking forward again in another hard grind. He ached to claim once again, to sink his pearly fangs into the indissoluble mark bared proudly along the slope of Shouyou's neck, the teethy scar a sign that Shouyou would always be _his_. Tobio eyed the mark, growling low and wanting at the thought of taking his omega again. Shouyou shuddered at the sound and exposed that pretty expanse of neck to him, submitting good and obedient to his alpha's commanding call. Tobio smirked widely at the docile show, his arms quickly scooping Shouyou up and earning a pleasant little squeak of surprise from the omega, his feet solidly carrying Shouyou bridal-style down the hall.

“Which room do you want?” Tobio asked, his voice deep and husky.

Shouyou quaked at the dominate timbre. "Tobio, you can have me anywhere-"

The sentence was cut off by the loud sound of Tobio kicking the nearest door open. He walked them inside the room that was for the most part empty, save for an old oak bed frame and leftover queen sized mattress. The room was a moderate size, a bit bigger than their previous, and even had a small en-suite bathroom. But it smelled heavily of foreign alpha, and Tobio was keen to extinguish the awful scent with the pleasurable aroma of sex - the beautiful mix of his powerful musk colliding with Shouyou's clement sweetness.

“This’ll do then,” Tobio said. He approached the bed swiftly and tossed Shouyou down on top of it, the omega bouncing slightly as he hit the mattress and the springs squeaking at the new weight. The bed frame creaked when Tobio joined him, shifting himself into place above his mate, his arms positioned on either side of Shouyou's head. Tobio growled when Shouyou's hips rolled upwards to meet his own, and he took that moment to kiss his mate with fervent passion. Small arms wrapped themselves around his broad shoulders, and beneath him a very tiny but very noticeable moan left Shouyou’s lips. Tobio snapped upon hearing it.

His lips left Shouyou's with some reluctance, but were quickly satiated by sucking on his pale neck. Shouyou gasped at the wet sensation, his body squirming, and he turned his head in a silent plea for more. His breath hitched when Tobio's hips sharply thrust downwards and ground hard against his erection, a pair of teeth finding purchase against his mark and filling the room with a sweet aroma. Shouyou felt himself grow wet between the legs.

Tobio was empowered by the attractive scent of his mate permeating the air, arousal laced thick on the beautiful smell. He kept up with the gentle sucking and loving bites pressed along Shouyou's neck and collarbone, his pride glowing with every mark he left on the unblemished skin that screamed, _'he's all mine'_. He relished in the soft noises Shouyou made every time he rocked their hips together, connecting the two in a sweet, pleasurable moment.

An elusive hand crept underneath Shouyou’s shirt. Tobio tugged the thin material up, feeling irritated at the article of clothing getting in his way, and once it was gone he smoothed his hands over the pale skin there. Shouyou let out a small shiver at the contact - Tobio's hands were cold and curious. He gasped when Tobio rubbed his finger over a pert nipple, rolling the sensitive mound between his thumb and forefinger. Tobio kissed his way up his mate’s chest until he mouthed the other nipple, running his tongue over the bud and coaxing moans from Shouyou. He had always been the vocal type, an aspect Tobio perversely enjoyed. When he thought about it more, Shouyou's inclination to be vocal made perfect sense; Shouyou was so loud in day to day life that it only seemed natural that he was loud in bed too. Long gone were the days when he'd been far too shy to voice his pleasure.

Shouyou's hands patted gently at strong shoulders, “T-Tobio,” he stuttered.

Tobio sucked the nipple harder and Shouyou whimpered, shaking as Tobio slowly pulled his mouth away. He laved his tongue across it and fixed Shouyou a look. “What?” 

“L-Lemme mark you.” 

Tobio stared at him.

Shouyou pouted, and Tobio found it irresistibly cute. “We’re supposed to scent this place right? You marked me, so for this to work I need to mark you.” He tugged on Tobio's neck, willing him closer. “Now c’mere.”

Tobio adjusted so his mate had better access. “Bite hard enough this time, will you? Your teeth aren’t that sharp so you kinda suck at actually biting hard enough to – okay, ow, not like - FUCK SHOUYOU STOP!”

Shouyou pulled his teeth from Tobio's neck, feeling smug. The room was now being penetrated with Tobio’s crisp, dominating scent, and he loved the warm embrace it offered. There was a pleasant red mark on the alpha’s neck (Shouyou loved that too - who said omegas weren't possessive?) and Tobio was smoothing a hand over it. “Did I bite hard enough for you?” Shouyou teased.

“More like you went apeshit on my neck.” 

Shouyou smiled. “You asked for it.”

Tobio sighed, leaning down to press his lips against Shouyou's. “You’re so much trouble.”

Shouyou giggled into the kiss, gasping loudly when Tobio's hips once again collided with the hardness in his shorts. Tobio spent a moment tugging Shouyou's shirt completely off, then took to worshiping his mate's body, leaving a trail of kisses down Shouyou's torso and causing the omega to squeal and squirm until he hovered just above his hip bones. Tobio paused a moment before his hands found their place on the fastens of Shouyou’s shorts, undoing the button and sliding the zipper down quickly, the beige summer-wear being thrown to the floor soon after. He raked his eyes over Shouyou's partially nude form, licking his lips subconsciously. Shouyou felt his breath hitch as Tobio gazed upon him like a predator about to devour it's prey. And he _desperately_ wanted to be devoured. He couldn't suppress the whimper that left his lips at the thought.

Tobio’s eyes gleamed hungrily, and he caged himself over his omega once again, moving a hand down to palm Shouyou’s clothed erection. A needy moan left the omega’s lips and his hips bucked forward into the alpha’s palm, yearning for friction. Tobio's eyes kept locked on Shouyou’s blushing, panting expression, his hand rubbing firm over the slight length. He palmed slightly lower and paused when he felt something on his hand. The grin that crossed his face should've been illegal.

“What's this now?” Tobio started, his tone smug, "Already dripping wet for me are you? Why aren't you a good little omega..."

Shouyou reddened fast, the blush creeping down his neck. He turned his head to the side, desperately trying to hide his face in the mattress. "D-Don't tease, you j-jerk..."

Tobio chuckled a husky laugh, his hand finding a place beneath Shouyou's tight briefs and grasping the weeping erection there. Shouyou released a breathy moan. "Oh, but I couldn't, baby," his sultry voice cooed, "You're far too cute all flustered and shy like that."

Shouyou gasped, biting back a moan as Tobio began to slowly pump his fist over his erection. A free hand peeled the briefs away, freeing his mate completely, the clothing sticking slightly from the wetness. Tobio ran his thumb over the head, drops of liquid pouring out from it, then set on a steady rhythm up and down, up and down. Shouyou’s toes curled into the mattress and he moaned loudly, his hands clawing at the back of Tobio’s shirt as he worked him well. His stomach coiled tight, ready to burst. “T-Tobio... I-I’m gonna...” Shouyou’s breath hitched, only seconds from release.

Tobio leaned in close to a pink-tipped ear, pumping faster. “Come, then,” he coaxed, whispering the words hotly into his mate’s ear.

Shouyou's body tensed up and a loud cry escaped him as he shuddered, strings of sterile, transparent white coating his stomach and Tobio’s hand. Harsh, heavy pants left his mouth as his body quivered, gradually coming down from his high. Tobio licked at the sticky residue coating his hand, gazing down at his mate with lust. He quickly shrugged off his own shirt as Shouyou took slow, even breaths collect himself, and tossed his pants to the floor as well, the tightness around his crotch dissipating. The strain on his own erection had really been getting quite uncomfortable. Even with just boxers on it was still rather bothersome, and Tobio quickly shifted himself out of those as well. He placed himself back over top of his mate, easily grasping the panting omega’s full attention.

“You good?” he asked. Shouyou nodded, giving him a satisfied smile. Tobio kissed him sweetly. “Can I...?”

Shouyou nudged himself a little closer to Tobio in response. “I certainly don’t want you to stop now...”

Tobio nodded and cleared his throat. Gingerly, he propped Shouyou’s legs open and softly massaged the skin of his damp upper thigh with his palm. Shouyou sighed in contentment at the touch. Tobio pulled him even closer, tugging on his legs so Shouyou was nearer his lap. He edged his hand closer to the pink hole, all wet and soaking the mattress slightly with its leakage. Tobio ran a finger over the dripping entrance, earning a shudder and moan from his mate.

“Fuck, Shou. You’re soaking wet.” He traced a circle around the entrance, and Shouyou gasped in pleasure.

“D-Don’t say something so embarrassing...” Shouyou retorted meekly, burying his face in his hands. Tobio chuckled again before pushing a ready finger inside the slicked hole. His mate tensed slightly at the intrusion, before slowly relaxing as he was stretched out once again. Tobio watched Shouyou’s expressions carefully - the delicately closed eyes and parted lips, the relaxed brows - and paid special notice to his scent as he moved the single digit around the tight passage. When a long moan escaped his mate’s lips, he deemed it safe to add another. The second slid in and Shouyou’s fingers gripped down tightly onto Tobio's muscular back. Two fingers scissored his entrance and Shouyou’s eyes crinkled as he focused on his breathing. This was always the hardest part. 

Tobio took to rubbing gently at his thigh and placing kisses in Shouyou's unruly hair. He frowned slightly at the tense expression on his mate’s face. Softly, he let out a low croon, and Shouyou’s eyes opened at the calming sound. He locked eyes with his alpha, and felt a sense of calm wash over him, immediately relaxing. Tobio continued to rub circles in the omega’s thigh whist he crooned and worked his two fingers in and out of his mate as he did so. Shouyou started panting again, and he pushed his hips back up against the fingers, craving more stimulation. Tobio pressed one final digit to the wet entrance and with all three fingers inside, he worked them until he felt his mate was stretched enough. He pulled them out - the digits covered in slick from his ministrations - and licked them clean. Shouyou whimpered at the erotic sight. Seeing his mate so relaxed and wanting, Tobio wasted little time in positioning his member in front of the dripping entrance and looking down at his perfect mate.

“Are you ready?” he asked, desperately wanting to plunge himself inside of his mate and fuck him senseless.

Shouyou’s hands clasped together behind his neck, his eyes speaking to his carnal needs. “Yes,” he breathed.

That was all Tobio needed to hear. His hands held a firm grip on Shouyou's hips and he gratefully pushed himself into Shouyou's core.

Fuck. He never got tired of this.

It was always so hot; so fucking hot and so fucking tight and so fucking wet. Shouyou squeezed around him like a vice and a pleasured shiver raced down his spine. It took every ounce of restraint he had not to thrust all the way in and fuck Shouyou with all the strength he had. For Shouyou’s sake... he couldn't do that. Not outside of heat, anyway.

Shouyou trembled beneath his alpha. Penetration had always been a little overwhelming considering Shouyou was pretty small and well, Tobio _really_ wasn't. But the feeling was totally worth it. Tobio could always hit those good spots.

The initial discomfort gradually settled and Shouyou wiggled his hips; Tobio groaned loud against his neck. He gratefully pushed further forward, sighing long and slow at the tight squeeze. Shouyou dug his nails into his back and Tobio relished in the sharp feeling. Shouyou panted vigorously as his mate's long, thick cock pushed deeper, his stomach clenching at the overpowering feeling of fullness. Eventually he couldn't move any further.

“Shou - babe,” Tobio grunted through clenched teeth, “I’m all the way in.”

Shouyou's grip didn't lessen. “G-good...” he stuttered, his breath shaky, “Just give me a m-minute, okay?”

Tobio honestly didn’t know if he had the restraint to last a minute just sitting here like this, but he had to. His instincts were screaming at him to just fucking MOVE already, but he'd learned not to be a total slave to the alpha in him. He tried to focus on anything but that _perfect, wet, burning tightness_ , and he had to force himself not to look at his mate or he was certain he'd lose control. So he settled on glaring at the wall.

Shouyou’s hips pushed forward. “M-move...”

The grip on his legs tightened, Tobio's cock dragging against his inner walls as he pulled out to the tip. Shouyou moaned and his head fell back against the mattress. Tobio pushed himself right back in, nice and easy, and Shouyou made the most erotic fucking sound Tobio had ever heard. 

All self-restraint was lost. He pulled out quickly then plunged right back in, the bed frame slamming against the wall and the mattress springs squealing. Shouyou’s back arched beautifully and a desperate cry left his lips, his toes curling in pleasure. Another forceful thrust pushed him to call Tobio's name through panted breaths, the alpha above him releasing a feral growl at his call, pounding into him relentlessly and locking his lips against Shouyou's neck. Wet squelching noises followed each thrust as more slick oozed from his weeping hole.

Tobio angled his cock upwards slightly, searching for that special spot. Fingers clawed into his back as he plunged forward and Shouyou screamed his name, the call echoing in the near-empty room. Shouyou twitched wildly underneath him, panting hard and flushed a bright red, his legs shuddering from the intense pleasure that had sidelined him. "T-there," he begged, "P-please, again... love you... Tobi- _oohh_..." His words fell into a moan. _Tobio's shoulders shuddered at the waver in Shouyou's voice, and he aimed for the spot once again. Shouyou whimpered and tangled his fingers in slick, raven locks, and Tobio pounded into that bundle of nerves _hard_ , listening to the pleasured cries of his mate as he forced him to come undone. The walls around his cock constricted even more._

“T-Tobio... I’m g-gonna come...”

“Yeah... I-I’m...” Tobio’s voice trailed off as he kept with his rigorous pounding. His abdominal muscles tensed as he felt his own release growing nearer, his knot starting to lock him in place. He didn't have much time. “Shou, I need to- _fuck_ -I n-need to pull out.”

Shouyou's scent immediately turned panicked. “N-No! Don’t!” he exclaimed, his breathy voice laden with apprehension. Shouyou refused to hide anymore - it was only making him miserable and he knew it killed Tobio too. So many times when they had sex he would see the desperation in Tobio's eyes as he came close, see the way he locked his jaw and forced himself to pull out, see the regret in Tobio's eyes as he watched his cum drip down Shouyou's stomach, and see just how much Tobio was wishing he had painted his slick insides instead. They were _mates_ for fuck's sake! Knotting shouldn't be a rarity... Shouyou wanted it every time and he was sick of denying what they both wanted just because he was afraid of talking about the root of their problems. Shouyou locked his legs around Tobio's hips, his eyes begging and voice no more than a whisper, _“...Please.”_

Tobio's brows knit together. It was rare for male omegas to become pregnant outside of heat, but even still, they were always really cautious whenever they mated. But if Shouyou wanted it now...

His eyes lit up in resignation. Tobio felt his breath quicken as he fully pushed back in, rubbing up against that sweet spot once again. Shouyou moaned against his neck and Tobio felt him tighten again. He thrusted again and Shouyou cried out blissfully, a new wetness squirting against his abdomen. Tobio put his final strength into one last thrust, groaning as he shot thick ropes of cum deep inside his mate.

Both were panting heavily as they came down from their moment of ecstasy. Shouyou was limp on the mattress, struggling to catch his breath, and Tobio had laid his head in the crook of Shouyou's neck as he too, did the same. He went to roll over onto his side but a firm tightness squeezed down on him and his stomach seized violently as another orgasm rippled through his body, Tobio gasping harshly and digging his fingers into Shouyou's back as he filled his mate once again.

 _“Ah!”_ Shouyou exclaimed, moving with him, his own body shuddering with pleasure, “C-careful... your knot..."

Tobio gasped for breath. “S-sorry...” he replied, glancing down to where they were connected. Oh. Right. They knotted. Well... that explained the second orgasm. He needed to be more careful if he didn't want to surprise himself again like that. They were going to have to wait for the knot to wear off before they could separate... How long did that take again? Twenty minutes?

Tobio froze. Wait. _They knotted._ His breath hitched. “Shouyou.”

Shouyou had a stupidly happy smile on his face. Blissful love was in his eyes. “Mm, what’s wrong?”

“I’m an idiot.”

Shouyou's brow furrowed. “Uh, I know. Why do you think I call you that, idiot?”

“No, I’m not joking around. I’m honestly stupid.” Tobio stared at Shouyou, his eyes full of seriousness. “I didn’t pick up soon enough on what you were trying to tell me. I should’ve seen what you were trying to say, but I didn’t and it took up until now for me to finally get it. And I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”

A pensive silence enveloped them. Shouyou chewed on his bottom lip, keeping his gaze centered on the broad surface of his mate’s chest. “I should’ve just told you up front,” he said quietly, “but I didn’t know how you felt about it or even what to say. I guess I was scared you’d say no, or something. So it’s really my fault.”

Tobio frowned. “Don’t blame yourself for this. As your mate, I should have been more attentive to how you were feeling and I didn’t even notice anything was out of the ordinary!” He growled in frustration. “You’ve been in pain because of this, haven’t you?” Shouyou didn’t say anything, but the tears that started to trickle down his cheeks said enough. Tobio pulled him close, wrapping him tightly in his arms and threading his fingers through Shouyou's hair. “I’m sorry. God, this is all my fault. Fuck.” Shouyou whimpered quietly against his chest, shaking his head back and forth. Tobio thought he heard him mutter something like ‘its okay’, but it was muffled so it was a little hard to tell.

After a few minutes passed by with the two in each others’ arms and once Shouyou’s sniffling had quieted, Tobio pulled back to look down upon his tear-streaked face. He wiped at the wet cheeks and placed a small kiss on Shouyou's pliant lips. “We really need to sit down and have a serious talk about this, don’t we?”

“Yeah... It’s definitely long overdue.”

Tobio sighed and kneaded his fingers against the small of Shouyou's back. There was still the rest of the den to scent and they only had until the end of the day before the rest of the pack would be arriving with all of their belongings. Their discussion might have to wait just a little bit longer. “About the den...” he started, “do you wanna just finish it up quickly?”

Shouyou pouted at him. “I never said anything like that. We can talk later - we’ll have lots of time. Promise me?” Tobio nodded. Shouyou beamed, kissing him on the jaw. "Please don't ever pull out again," he said, voice quiet.

Tobio smiled. "Now that, I can do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow fuck this I can't believe I wrote this and am putting this online for people to read - please don't look at me
> 
> But lemme explain some shit first
> 
> So in this fic, there is a very old practice known as ‘The Claiming’. The history of it stems way, way back to the beginnings of the Sulia people and the natural way of things in their society. To mark something as belonging to a specific Sulia, that alpha or beta or omega would _scent_ the object or place or person or whatever it was. There were two ways to do that. The first was by rubbing their scent glands upon the person or thing, and the second was to combine two Sulia’s scents together across a space by way of intercourse. As in the case of dens, rubbing one’s scent glands upon every area would be especially inefficient. What packs typically did was have their younger mated couples scent the den together by doing the do, typically during an omega’s heat if possible to further the process. This typically led to pregnancy. Nowadays the act of a ‘Claiming’ still goes on because of its efficiency among packs of mated, but it’s not done during heats. Even still, it does leave many first time ‘claimers’ apprehensive and nervous about the process due to the history behind it. (Note: Packs of unmated, such as packs of young traveling alphas do not need mates to claim a den. Because an alpha’s scent is so strong, the presence of a pack of them is enough to overpower any old scents.)
> 
> now I'm going to go hide in my closet until I update (╯_╰)  
> *Edited: 11/9/16


	4. Forward March

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A hard bang on the door jolted both students from their places. They gave each other a glance, each one carrying a hint of nervousness in their gaze. Yachi moved first, stepping over the bags that littered the floor and approaching the door. She turned the knob slowly, and the door creaked slightly as the door opened.
> 
> Professor Ukai stood, his arms crossed, an irritated expression on his face. “Get your things. We’re leaving now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains references to characters from Free!

Yachi zipped her suitcase shut and checked the time on her phone for the hundredth time that morning. They were leaving today. And she was panicking, frantic that she would forget something vital – her notes, the requirements for the study, her laptop, camera, charger, or batteries.

“Ennoshita, please tell me you have your camera equipment.” Yachi asked, turning to her study partner who had shuffled his bags into her dorm room while they waited for the professor to come and pick them up.

“I already told you I did.” he answered with a sigh. “It’s all in the case. Don’t worry so much.” He went back to reading something on his phone. “Focus more on yourself. You’re acting a mess.”

Yachi groaned. Yeah. She knew that already. She was nervous as hell. This anxiety had her paranoid about being prepared for the situation she was about to face. Because she didn’t know how to fully prepare for it. Everything she was going to encounter would be fully and utterly foreign. Yachi only knew scraps of information about these people, the kinds of things textbooks and classes teach to everyone: basic information. The thing is, that's all textbooks can know about the Sulia: basic information. After the war and their separation from the rest of the world during the times when science wasn't nearly as polished as it is now, already very little about the Sulia was known to humans. Their biology and complex pack dynamics were among the main things that remained a mystery. As science evolved, there was an obvious lack of information on the race that had been pushed to the brink of extinction. But with the inability to study the Sulia to fill that gap, knowledge was left up to either assumption or what little information was available from the past. That was what filled their textbooks. Uncertainty and outdated, incorrect information.

When Yachi had signed up for this class she was made very much aware of these facts by her professor, who seemed utterly disgusted by the curriculum that was being taught in the course. In fact, he made an entire show of tossing their school textbook out the window on the first day of class. After that, he pretty much created his own lessons, and everything he taught them was different from what was in the book. Yachi never really understood how the professor knew so much about the Sulia, but she was far too fascinated by the wealth of information that he provided to question it too much.

A hard bang on the door jolted both students from their places. They gave each other a glance, each one carrying a hint of nervousness in their gaze. Yachi moved first, stepping over the bags that littered the floor and approaching the door. She turned the knob slowly, and the door creaked slightly as the door opened.

Professor Ukai stood, his arms crossed, an irritated expression on his face. “Get your things. We’re leaving now.” he jerked his head down the hall and started off, and both Yachi and Ennoshita scrambled to gather their belongings. They bustled out off the room and hurried after the receding form of their professor, the door to Yachi’s dorm slamming shut behind them.

They didn’t catch up to Ukai’s fast pace until they were well off campus. He had stopped at a parked grey van, shuffling some keys out of his pocket and clicking a button to unlock the vehicle. The back door opened, and the professor jerked his head in its direction, gesturing for the duo to place their things inside the car. The students obliged, silently, shoving their items into the back of the vehicle until it was stuffed full. Backing away, the van door closed automatically and Ukai climbed into the front seat.

“Get in.” he ordered, and both students hurried into the two seats behind the man, remaining quiet. For the exciting and nerve wracking trip they were about to take, this really did feel like a hostage situation.

The car started as the professor turned the keys in the ignition, and he backed out of the parking lot. The car remained silent as it drove onto the highway, and continued so for the next fifteen minutes as they drove down the dormant metropolitan street. The professor was glaring out his windshield as he drove, and Ennoshita shifted slightly as he cleared his throat to break the tension in the air.

“So...uh –“ he began, but was cut off.

“Listen kids,” Professor Ukai started, his tone tense, “From now on, you listen to whatever anyone says, when they say. You try acting all defiant, and you’ll get torn apart by a bunch of alphas trying to protect their pack. You aren’t going to be living by humanity’s rules. These are Sulia, they live their own way, and you are going to follow along.” The professor sent the duo a glance through his rearview mirror. “Just be compliant while you’re there. You don’t want to cause any problems, or bring up any unpleasant memories on either side.” The students nodded meekly, and Ukai turned back to the road. The car took a right, and they cruised down through the coastal town, weaving through streets and coming closer to the beach. “Speaking of problems, cross your fingers the media isn’t scoping out the shoreline already. I’ve had enough of them snooping around and asking questions they don’t need to ask. They weren’t supposed to know this was going on.” 

Yachi bit her lip and Ennoshita sent her a furtive glance. There was a dip of silence. “…Professor?” Yachi began, and her teacher hummed in recognition, “Will they provide a place for us to stay?” Yachi really wasn’t sure whether they had hotels on the island or not. Or whether they even had a need for hotels over there.

“I already worked it out.” The man grumbled, the car shifting to a stop a small distance away from the docks, where several leisure boats were tied to the masts. “I worked out the details with a pack that’s willing to take you two in.”

Yachi and Ennoshita exchanged looks as their professor stepped out of the car. The man beckoned for them to follow, and they hurried after, stopping momentarily to gather their things from the back of the vehicle. Their feet met warm silty sand. The air was humid and the sun had not yet risen more than halfway above the ocean’s waves. Professor Ukai slammed his door shut, locking the van up as the door closed. He turned towards the docks, walking swiftly across the hot sands and onto the wooden boards as the two students followed diligently behind him. He paused at the end of the dock as he approached a small, white and blue vessel with another blonde haired individual inside busying himself with some controls.

“Sasabe.”

The man jumped, causing the motor boat to rock back and forth unsteadily. He righted himself, and turned to face the professor and his two students. “Ukai? Watch what you do, I nearly fell out!”

“That’s your fault. Be more aware of your surroundings.” Ukai said nonchalantly, his arms crossing over his chest.

“Eh, don’t you lecture me, you lazy ass! Once you start acting responsible maybe I'll listen to what you have to say.” Sasabe replied. Ukai frowned.

“Since when am I lazy?”

“Since you stopped showing up for your team in exchange for teaching at a fucking university! You’re lazy _and_ irresponsible.” Yachi and Ennoshita exchanged looks of confusion between them. Team..?

Ukai leaned in closer to Sasabe. “And whose fault was that? It was your damn boat that capsized and left me stranded! The hell was I supposed to do? Swim? That’s your area of expertise, not mine.”

Sasabe submitted. “Alright, you have that. But everyone thought you died!” he countered. “And I did come back for you afterwards.” Ukai sighed into his hands and Sasabe merely smirked. The latter’s eyes then caught onto the dumbfounded pair behind the professor, and he frowned. “These them?” he asked.

Ukai gave the duo behind him a glance. “Yeah,” he replied. “You’ll still take them, right?”

Sasabe eyed Yachi and Ennoshita. He looked them over analytically, his face still holding a frown. Several moments of scrutiny passed in silence before the man with the goatee relented. “I won’t go back on my word.” Sasabe finally said. The man gestured to the duo. “Get in the boat.”

Ukai eyed them carefully, and Yachi remembered the professor’s words from earlier about listening to whatever it was people said from now on. This man, he must be a Sulia, then. Yachi tensed slightly as she looked at him, a slight feeling of nervousness running over her. She felt Ennoshita nudge her forward, and that jolted her from her position. She gripped her bags and placed a tentative foot onto the floor of the boat, and Ennoshita did the same. They seated themselves at the back and placed their belongings on the floor, and watched quietly as their professor joined them on the vessel.

Sasabe pushed a few buttons on the control panel, and then turned the ignition and the engine roared to life. He took a seat at the hull and stepped on the gas, the boat propelling forward with incredible speed. Yachi and Ennoshita jolted in their seats, gripping the fiberglass siding of the vessel for support as their bodies were pressed back into the leathery exterior of their seating. He didn’t say anything for several minutes, and neither did Ukai, who had made himself quite comfortable in the fast-flying boat. Soon, however, Sasabe grunted a few words to Yachi and Ennoshita. “Just…don’t look so constipated. It’s going to be several hours until we arrive, so you might as well sleep or entertain yourselves in a way that isn’t distracting or annoying.” Afterwards, Sasabe didn’t say another word to the pair for the entire ride. He threw them looks every now and then, but that was as far as it went. Yachi and Ennoshita did all they could to distract themselves for the duration of the ride, talking quietly amongst each other about what was waiting on the island or the requirements for the study. Soon, daylight was fading to dusk and their approach was drawing only nearer. 

* * *

Tobio’s eyes flickered opened. A noise had disturbed him, and he attempted to focus his blurry senses to decipher just what it had been. In the distance he could make out some quiet commotion from outside the bathroom, but they were familiar voices; they were the pack, and so Tobio relaxed. A sigh danced across his chest from the weight relaxing in his arms, and he glanced down at his mate who was sleeping peacefully. One of Tobio’s arms was hooked around Shouyou’s waist beneath the bathwater and holding the omega close to his body, and his other lay lazily over the edge of the tub. Shouyou’s head was snuggled against his chest and his hands were curled in loose fists. His damp, fiery hair was splayed around his face in a wild twists, the cowlicks fanning out and sticking up even more so than usual. Tobio found himself smiling gently at his mate. He looked really cute when he slept.

The alpha planted a kiss in the omega’s still-damp hair. He nuzzled his nose against the orange locks, scenting. Shouyou cuddled closer in his sleep, his instincts recognizing the touch. Tobio lifted his free hand up to run his fingers over Shouyou’s cheek, and he felt the omega stir on top of him. The omega yawned against his chest, bringing one hand up to cover over his mouth. Tobio rubbed circles on the small of Shouyou’s back, drawing his mate’s attention, who turned to look up at him with sleepy, golden eyes. 

Shouyou kept his chin planted on Tobio’s chest, but wrapped his hands around the alpha’s neck. “G’morning~” Shouyou said, his voice still groggy with the remnants of sleep.

“It’s hardly morning anymore, Shouyou.” Tobio replied, his hands massaging the smooth skin of the omega’s back.

Shouyou giggled. “But that’s what everyone says when they wake up.” 

Tobio sighed and kissed his forehead again. “You’re cute.” Shouyou’s cheeks pinked slightly. He yawned again, slumping heavily against Tobio’s chest. Tobio grunted. “You just got _way_ heavier.” 

“I‘m tireeeeed.” Shouyou’s eyes slipped closed again.

“No – no – no, do _not_ fall asleep on me again.” Tobio nudged Shouyou off, prompting the omega to let out a soft whine from the back of his throat.

“So mean.” Shouyou shifted to sit up on his lap, yawning. 

Tobio sighed. “Are you really that tired still? I didn’t strain you too hard did I?”

Shouyou lifted his head, shaking it in negative affirmation. “No, no, not at all! I’m fine, really Tobio, don’t worry so much.” The omega gave his mate a coquettish grin. “What? Do you not think I can handle you?” Shouyou traced a teasing finger along the broad muscles of the alpha’s chest and circled his hips against his mate’s. “I’ll have you know I’m _very_ capable of keeping up with whatever pace you put out, _Tobio_.”

The alpha stiffened under the other’s touch, reddening slightly. He swatted at Shouyou’s hand. “That’s not what I was implying. I don’t doubt…that…but tell me if you need a break every once in a while. I know that today was different because we didn’t have a lot of time and a lot to do, but I still wouldn’t have minded taking a break if you were really that exhausted.”

Shouyou pouted. “It’s not that I would have _wanted_ to take one…It’s like my body was trying to force me to take one.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I didn’t want to stop. So we didn’t.”

Tobio sighed and rubbed gently at his mate’s shoulders. “Please…don’t strain yourself. Don’t be stupid and ignore when your body says it needs a break. Anyone would be getting tired after…doing it as much…as we did…” Tobio trailed off, feeling awkward. He was just trying to look out for his mate. They had had a pretty vigorous and eventful day, with the heavy task of scenting the entire den looming above their heads as they mated over and over again, moving to different areas of the den to spread their scent as they went. They were about halfway through when Shouyou had begun getting kind of tired, but he really didn’t want to stop. He was really happy. Tobio had been knotting him the entire time and hadn’t pulled out once, unless it was to push back in. Shouyou was ecstatic that he had finally got his feelings across on the subject and his mate was being very receptive about it. Shouyou looked about ready to pass out in his arms when he brought them back to the bath to clean up, and after they both climbed in that’s exactly what the omega did before his mate followed shortly after.

Shouyou bit his lip. “I know…” He curled his arms back around Tobio’s neck. “I do think breaks are needed but…I was just really happy then. I didn’t want you to stop and lose all that.”

Tobio studied his mate’s expression and scent. He nuzzled the omega’s hair. “Was it ‘cause I knotted you?” Shouyou nodded shyly against his chest. Tobio felt a small smile on his face, and kissed his mate’s hair. “Then I’m happy too.”

Shouyou smiled brightly, disrupting the calm of the bathwater to place a kiss on Tobio’s lips. “I love you. I really, really love you a lot.” Shouyou breathed against the alpha’s lips.

Tobio kissed his lips again. “I love you too. I love you so much.” Shouyou hummed against his lips. He placed one more long kiss to his alpha’s mouth before pulling away, a smile on his face. Tobio really, really loved that look. But he didn’t want to dwell on it to long. So, he scooped the small little omega into his arms and hoisted him up as he stood, water clinging to their bare bodies as they exited the porcelain tub and stepped onto the tiled floor. A small puddle pooled beneath them. Tobio was about to walk out of the bathroom because he knew there would be no towels left behind from the old pack that lived here, but his eyes caught on something lying on the lid of the toilet. Two sets of neatly folded, fluffy white towels, the same kind that everyone used back at the old den, were sitting untouched on the top of the toilet. Tobio walked over with Shouyou in his arms, placed the omega on the marble vanity, and picked up one of the towels.

“Did one of the pack come in here and leave these?” he asked, wrapping the towel around his mate’s shoulders.

Shouyou shrugged and started toweling off. “I don’t know. I was out cold. I didn’t hear anyone come in.” Tobio grabbed the other towel and followed Shouyou’s lead. “I mean, it’s possible, right?”

The alpha hummed in affirmation. An embarrassing thought crossed his mind. What if one of the pack had seen the two of them in the bath? It wasn’t really a secret that they both were going to take part in the Claiming today but…it would be a really awkward situation knowing that one of the pack had walked in on them passed out in the bath together post-claim.

Tobio rubbed a little harder at his hair at the thought of someone walking in on them like that. He finished, wrapped the towel around his waist, and then went to help Shouyou finish drying his hair. Shouyou squirmed under his ministrations, and more than once Tobio had to tell him to ‘Just keep still, dammit’. Pretty soon they were both dry and the tub was drained, and the pair walked back out into the room they had originally claimed as their own. 

Shouyou scurried up to the pile of clothes lying in a haphazard pile on the ground and picked up a dark blue shirt that did not belong to him. He tugged it on, even though it was several sizes too big on him, hung off one shoulder, and almost came down to his knees. Tobio sighed. “Shouyou, that’s my shirt.”

The omega grinned. “I know~” He bent down to pick up his briefs and tugged them on. “I like wearing your shirts. They smell like you.” He puffed out his cheeks.

Tobio colored, turning so his mate wouldn’t see how flustered he was. He shuffled past and rummaged through the pile of clothes to find his boxers and pulled them on along with his sweatpants. He would have to settle without a shirt for now. Well, they both kind of looked like they were in sleepwear at the moment, so he supposed it wouldn’t matter too much. 

Shouyou took a hold of his hand. “So should we…”

Tobio nodded slowly. “They’re probably wondering about us…and they might need help unpacking…or something.” Shouyou nodded back at his mate. He honestly didn’t want to go back and reconvene with the group again, he’d really prefer just spending some more time alone with his mate. But they really should check in. So, Shouyou held a little tighter to his mate’s hand and let him guide as the alpha opened the door with hesitance and walked out into the hall. Their bare feet were quiet against the wooden floors as they walked slowly down the hall, neither one really wanting to lose their seclusion together. Voices got louder as they approached the common room. They turned a corner and entered the room to a small group of people who were unpacking boxes. 

“Ah, I really think it’s a wonderful thing – oh! Kageyama-san!” Koushi waved at Tobio and Shouyou, who both jolted. Koushi stood up from his seat on the floor and walked over to the duo. “Glad you’re both finally awake. How are you two doing?” the omega asked with pointedness. 

“Eh, fine.” Tobio replied quickly. Koushi smiled lightly.

“I take it that means you two worked things out?”

Shouyou and Tobio exchanged looks. “We…well; _I_ was able to say something I hadn’t been saying…” Shouyou said, hesitantly, a blush rising to his face, “And it ended up working out better than I expected.” Tobio looped his arm around the omega’s waist. “We still were going to talk more though.”

Koushi smiled at the pair. “That’s really great. I’m so happy you two were able to get your feelings out. There are only brighter days going forward from here.” The door opened and Daichi and Tanaka shuffled in, carrying a bookcase. “Ah! That reminds me. Kageyama-san, both of your mothers showed up to help everyone move in! Your fathers were going to assist but both got held up with work.”

Tobio stiffened and Shouyou turned pale. “But, I never…informed her…” Tobio said quietly. The last thing he wanted was for his parents to know was that he was going to be in charge of the Claiming. Firstly, they would know he would be fucking his mate, and secondly they would get really, really antsy about the idea of getting grandchildren. He did not need them pestering him any more about that.

Koushi waved at the air. “I told them. They seemed really sad that neither of you let them know what was going on.”

_“Tobio!”_

Tobio grimaced at the sound of the familiar voice from across the room. “Mom…” His mother was shorter than he was but had the same flat, dark colored hair and deep blue eyes. The beta woman approached him and placed her hands on her hips. She frowned at her son. But it was lost for a moment as she focused on the figure beside him.

“Ah! Shou-chan!” She immediately gushed over the omega, pulling Shouyou into a warm hug. “How has my son’s mate been doing? Has Tobio been treating you properly? He takes good care of you, I hope?” She always asked the same questions every time the two met up. She had taken quite the liking to Shouyou ever since she first met him. She had quite a strict reign on her hot-headed son, and questioning his mate on her son’s behaviors did assist in reassuring her he was behaving now that she wasn’t around to keep him in line.

Shouyou smiled warmly at his mate’s mother. “I’ve been very good, thank you so much for asking! Tobio treats me wonderfully, I can’t complain. I’m really quite lucky!” Shouyou beamed next to his mate, who was blushing five different shades of red at his mate’s praise.

Tobio’s mother nodded at Shouyou’s reply. “Good, good. A proper alpha should always take good care of his mate.” She turned to her son then. “Now _you_ ,” Tobio gulped. “…Whatever happened to keeping your mother informed? You didn’t even tell me your pack was moving, much less that you were in charge of claiming the new den!” 

“Mom…It’s really awkward having you know that.”

His mother paused, observing her son and his omega who were both now blushing furiously. She let out a small ‘humph’ and sighed. “Tobio, that’s not even something I want to think about my son doing.” From across the room, Koushi let out a small chuckle. “I just…I always associate the Claiming with starting a family and now you being involved I think about that being you and your mate –“

“Mom,” Tobio cut his mother off. “It’s okay. I get it.”

His mother sighed, but smiled softly at her son. “I really want the best for you. Both of you.” She rubbed her son’s cheek affectionately, which Tobio frowned at and tried to push off, before another voice joined the mix.

“There’s my little Shouyou! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” A short omega woman, with light brown hair and golden eyes like Shouyou’s ran up to her son and embraced him tightly. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about the Claiming!” she chastised Shouyou, who pouted, looking at the floor.

“I had my reasons…” the male omega said simply, looking downcast.

Shouyou’s mother chuckled. “You really don’t need to be shy about me knowing about it, honey. Everyone knows what goes on during Claimings, there’s no need to be so embarrassed. It’s not like I don’t already know that you two do that sort of thing. You’re mated. It’s completely normal. It comes as more of a surprise the first time around when they first mate, wouldn’t you say, Keiko-san?” 

Tobio’s mother nodded in agreement. “I would. Though the Claiming is something special to many, especially family, so that’s why we’re so upset over this.”

“S-Sorry.” The pair said in unison. 

Tobio’s mother nudged the omega woman. “Mao-san, we should get back to helping the others unpack.” She readily agreed, and the two excused themselves to assist in helping the pack unpack the boxes they were bringing in. Shouyou approached Koushi, who was in the center of the gathering room on a throw rug, sorting through some of their boxes. Since Koushi was pregnant, he had been specifically ordered by Daichi not to do any heavy lifting. 

“Koushi-san?” Shouyou asked, drawing the other omega’s attention. 

“How can I help you Shouyou?” 

“Is there anything Tobio and I can help with? Everyone’s working so hard, I feel bad just leaving everyone to do all the grunt work.” 

Koushi smiled at the couple. “You two have already done your part for today. Aren’t you tired? You were both passed out cold when I went to check on you.” Tobio bit his lip at that statement. “…Well, if you two really would like to help, you can always take the boxes of your belongings and work on getting your room in order. I’m sure that’ll keep you both busy.” The pregnant omega pointed in the direction of some stacked boxes, and the pair excused themselves to go put their own room in order. 

Time passed quickly with everyone preoccupied. The hours flew by, and more and more of the den shifted into shape. Slowly, it began to feel more like a home. It was filled with familiar furniture and memorabilia, coupled with familiar scents made the place feel cozy and warm. Before everyone realized, it was late in the evening, and stomachs were aching to be filled with food. 

“Koushi-san?” Kiyoko inquired. “I’m going to start on dinner. Everyone seems famished. The others bought in the preserves, correct?”

Koushi turned his attention from feeding his son to Kiyoko. “Yes, I think they stored them in the kitchen. I’ll join you in a moment.”

“Please take your time.”

After having time to adjust to the new kitchen and its workings, dinner was prepared and ready in a little less than an hour. Steaming bowls of rice, cooked chicken, freshly cut vegetables, and warm, crisp bread were laid out on the table. As soon as the delectable smells wafted throughout the den, everyone eagerly gathered at the long dining table to eat the meal and discuss important matters amongst the pack. 

“So,” Daichi began, “Tomorrow is an important day, as you all are aware.”

Tanaka paused mid-chew. “Wait. What’s tomorrow?”

Tsukishima frowned. “The pigs from the mainland are coming to invade our den.”

“Oh, right.”

Daichi frowned deeply at the younger alpha. His voice took on a threatening tone. “No, no, no. They are guests, so we’ll talk about them with some respect, understood? I don’t care at all what your personal feelings are on this whole situation, but guests are guests, no matter their kind, and a Sulia treats their guests with respect and dignity. I expect you to act like an honorable Sulia, Tsukishima.” 

The blonde haired alpha frowned even more, but said nothing in return. He knew better than to disagree with the pack leader. He turned his attention to his bowl of rice while an unsettling silence blanketed the pack.

Koushi smiled weakly. “So, um. How is everyone settling in?” Affirmative responses from around the table such as ‘great’ or ‘really well thanks’, echoed across the dining room. 

“I know Kageyama-san has been settled in for a while already. Right?” Tanaka said, smirking. 

Shouyou and Tobio both paused their motions and exchanged glances. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Tobio asked, irritation creeping into his voice. 

Tanaka seemed genuinely amused. “Oh, I think you know _exactly_ what I’m talking about. You’ve already made yourself _very_ comfortable here, haven’t you?” Yuu chuckled and Tsukishima pulled a disgusted face. Tobio and Shouyou looked slightly flustered. Tanaka continued, “Hey, maybe you’ll finally get pregnant Shouyou!” 

Shouyou’s face fell and his fork fell against his plate with a loud clatter. Faces turned to stare at what caused the sudden noise. Shouyou sat a moment, looking like Tanaka’s comment physically inflicted pain upon him, before he finally caught the rest of the pack staring at him. “Oh…I…I’m sorry…” He pushed himself up from his seat. “…I just…I…s-sorry!” He turned away quickly, rubbing a hand across his eyes before dashing away from the table. 

“Shouyou!” Tobio called after his mate, standing up quickly. He excused himself and followed after the omega, already knowing in his gut what was wrong and cursing under his breath.

Daichi and Koushi frowned at Tanaka, who looked deeply confused. “What?” he asked. “Seriously. What?” They just shook their heads in censure. 

* * *

Tobio went to the place where his mate was the most likely to be after he ran out: their room. He jogged down the hall and stopped in front of their door, which was shut, and paused a moment. From the other side he could hear the softest of sobs, and his heart snapped in two. Shouyou should _never_ cry. It went against everything that was right in the world. Tobio rapped on the door lightly. “Shouyou?” He called softly. “Shou, babe? Can I come in?” 

Shouyou sniffled from inside the room. “I guess.”

Tobio pushed the door open and was met with his shaking, sobbing omega, curled in a tight ball on the creamy down comforter of their bed. He shut the door closed behind them for privacy and approached his mate with grief in his heart. He sat himself down next to Shouyou and wrapped his arms around the omega’s shoulders, placing kisses in orange hair. Shouyou climbed into Tobio’s lap, still crying, and Tobio gently rocked him in his arms. “Maybe this would be a good time to talk about what I promised you earlier?” Shouyou clutched tightly to his mate, but nodded against his chest. He pulled away slightly after a moment, wiping his eyes and letting out a shaky breath. “What Tanaka said really bothered you, didn’t it?” Tobio asked, but it came out more like a statement of fact rather than a question. 

Shouyou’s expression fell for the second time that evening. He nodded, wiping the tears that fell from his eyes. “A lot,” he replied, voice breaking. “Just the way he said _‘finally’_ , like everyone’s been waiting for it to happen and I’ve just been making it difficult…”

Tobio rubbed comforting circles in the small of his mate’s back. “You’re not making anything difficult for anyone. Don’t make decisions just because they’ll make other people happy. Make choices for yourself.” Shouyou nodded and Tobio kissed his forehead, whispering soft words of comfort to his mate. A few minutes passed before the alpha spoke again. “So…why don’t we start from this morning and go from there? If I understood you correctly, you want to get pregnant, right?” 

“Yeah. I do.” 

“How long have you wanted to?”

Shouyou bit his lip. Tobio wasn’t going to like this answer. “Um…like a year and a half…”

Tobio deadpanned. Shouyou looked up at him with hesitance. “A…a year and a half? Shouyou…” Tobio looked and sounded horribly guilty, and it pained Shouyou deeply. “Shouyou…shit, I’m so sorry.”

Tobio’s apology stung as well. Shouyou shook his head. “You don’t need to be sorry. We weren’t communicating properly, and I was afraid to approach you to tell you I was ready to start a family. I didn’t know how you felt either, I just assumed you either weren’t ready either or didn’t really care much about it.”

The alpha shook his head this time. “Even if you tell me not to be sorry, I’m still going to feel like shit for putting you through all that unnecessary grief.” Shouyou frowned, and Tobio panicked. “It’s n-not your fault either, so please just…don’t feel bad for…me feeling bad.” His hands went back to rubbing the small of Shouyou’s back, and the omega started tracing patterns on the skin on his forearms. If this was the time to finally sort things out, it was time to start being candid, on both sides. “It does matter to me, you know.” Tobio said quietly, so much so that it was barely audible. 

Shouyou’s fingers stopped their motions. “It does?” 

Tobio scratched the back of his head. “W-Well, yeah. It’s not like I’ve never thought about it or anything. I feel like that’s always something that’s looming over everyone’s heads, you know?”

“I suppose that’s true.” Shouyou mused. That was a blatant fact. There was always this worry that their kind were going to suddenly die out if they didn’t keep a constant tab on their population. It was a legitimate worry, considering it had taken them hundreds of years to grow to the small percentage that they had now. It was humiliating when compared to their former glory in the past. So now there was always this pressure to repopulate, regrow, and rebuild what was lost. 

“Whatever happened that changed your mind though?” Tobio suddenly asked, drawing Shouyou’s gaze. “Something changed for you – tell me about it.”

Shouyou fingered the hem of his shirt. “I suppose it was a few things honestly.” He bit his lip. “I don’t know whether it’s my instincts or what but…I’ve just had this feeling ever since Koushi had Hotaru and then Yuu had Nariko that…I _need_ to get pregnant. It’s almost like I feel as though I’m falling behind or missing out on something I’m supposed to do. I’ve just been so anxious about it ever since Hotaru was born. And I mean, than I found out Koushi was having another kid and I just…I just felt like…”

“You felt jealous?” Tobio offered.

“No!” Shouyou pouted, slapping his mate on the arm. “Don’t say that. You make it sound like I’m not happy for them.”

“You sound pretty jealous to me.”

“I’m not.” Shouyou whined. Tobio hummed, sounding unconvinced. “Seriously though, I’m not! Like, I don’t resent them for having kids while I don’t. It’s more like I wish I was them.” Shouyou sniffed.

Tobio let his eyes linger on Shouyou’s contemplative expression; the orangette’s brows furrowed upwards and lips slightly parted as though he wanted to speak, but was feeling hesitant. Tobio took the initiative this time, even though talking had never been his strongest suit. “…I remember when we were courting your mom told me how enthusiastic you were about having kids while you were growing up.” The omega blushed deeply and hid his face in his mate’s chest. Somehow, that gave Tobio the push to continue. “I’ll be honest; I was a little…intimidated, hearing about that. Back then, I really didn’t have any solid feelings on the subject. I knew it was something everyone had to do eventually, I mean, we’re kinda slowly dying out…but I didn’t want to do it for that reason. I wanted it to be something that I really desired to have with my mate. And…after we mated, I was nervous about the idea of starting a family. I wasn’t ready for that kind of responsibility. I didn’t think I could…I don’t know…be the best kind of parent I could be. I just didn’t know how.” He paused, frowning. “It’s frustrating.” 

Shouyou listened intently to his mate’s words. “I was scared too, you know.” Tobio was quiet. “That’s why I told you I wasn’t ready to start a family after we mated. I was scared. I suppose it was a different kind of fear then what you had but…still fear.” Shouyou took a breath before he spoke. “The thought of actually, physically giving birth scared me. It didn’t used to, when I was younger. But after my mom had Natsu and I saw how difficult it was for her, how much she struggled and how much pain she was in, I got freaked out a bit. I didn’t think birth was like that at all. And I guess after learning about what it meant to actually have children, it made my own goals of having my own family seem just a little more daunting. But there was something that totally eliminated that hesitance from me completely.” Tobio urged him to continue. “When Koushi had Hotaru last year. Do you remember? I know you didn’t actually get to see Koushi give birth, but I did. And it wasn’t anything like what my mom went through. It didn’t drag on for hours, there wasn’t any screaming or crying…Koushi just made it seem so effortless. Witnessing that just changed my mind completely on what birth could be like. And then watching the three of them interact; it just made my own wishes to have a family burn even brighter.” 

Tobio clicked his tongue against his teeth. “Shou, you know what’s interesting?” Shouyou hummed. “It was the same thing for me. The same realization, I mean. Well…in a way. It involved Hotaru, like yours did. Just…I remember you would watch over him sometimes to help out Daichi and Koushi, and watching the two of you play together and you handle him so well just kinda…made me wish I…could see you playing like that with our own kid.” 

Shouyou gazed up at his mate. His words touched the omega deeply, and he struggled against the urge to cry. “I…want that more than anything.” Shouyou breathed, and Tobio locked his dark cobalt eyes with the shimmering gold of his mate’s. 

Tobio pulled Shouyou snugly against his body, placing a kiss against his cheek. “So if we’re on the same page, when’s your next heat?” The alpha asked. 

“In a month.” 

“Then in one month, I _promise_ to pup you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone – sorry this took a bit. Something traumatic happened in my life just a few days after I put chapter three up, and I needed some time for myself. I couldn’t put myself in the mindset to work on this story, and just had to take a step back and just allow myself to mentally and emotionally heal. I’m not 100%, but I’m better. 
> 
> As for this chapter, please keep in mind I’m trying to depict more mature versions of Kags and Hinata. I needed them to have an important conversation about the future, so they really needed to behave more like adults. I mean obviously they are aged up in this fic, and they will argue and act plain stupid at times – but there’s a certain maturity I wanted to give them, to show that they are slowly becoming adults. 
> 
> Something I probably should have mentioned earlier in this fic is the reason why I refer to certain people by their first names. It’s because some characters share surnames. Depending upon which Sulia courts who, it determines the surname in the future if they decide to be mates, unless there is prior discussion beforehand of how the couple wants to be named.
> 
> Ah but I’m seriously so excited for the next chapter you have no idea


	5. It's Nice to Meet You...?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukai paused a moment, seeming to contemplate the metrics of the situation, before he sighed, ignoring his own thoughts. He turned, brought his hand up to the door, and knocked twice. 
> 
> A few seconds passed in heavy, weighted silence, but they felt like agonizing hours. Yachi could hear the sound of footsteps approaching the door and someone speaking on the other side, probably about them, and then the doorknob was turning and the cherry wood of the door was being opened. A man stood on the other side of the entrance; he was tall with short, cropped brown hair, a muscular build and a face that Yachi thought could be scary at times if it got angry, but was very warm and inviting now. To the man’s right was a softly smiling, ash-blonde haired man with auburn eyes and creamy skin, a gentle aura and…was he… _pregnant?_

The boat shuttled to a steady stop near the sandy shore of the small, secluded island that was populated exclusively by the Sulia. Sasabe stepped over the edge and out into the shallow water to pull the boat up and onto the shore. He tethered the bow of the boat to a sturdy log buried deep in the sand, and gestured for the group to deboard the boat. Yachi and Ennoshita collected their bags, hauling them over their backs, and dropped their feet into the shallow water, wading up to dry ground. 

“ _Enei li Saesor_. That is the name of this place. The Point of Harmony.” Ukai said offhandedly, gathering the attention of his two students. At his words they took a moment to drink in the setting, the wide expanse of lush trees that blanketed the shoreline and spread back infinitely, rising upwards in some places where the ground became hilly and mountainous. A small path had been cut in between a group of trees some distance away, the dirt walkway twisting off into the greenery of the forest and disappearing into the early morning mist. “They don’t teach you much about this place in school. Funny, because it’s the only place in the world that homes the last of the surviving Sulia. The most you’ll ever hear about it is that this is where everyone fled after the Great War. Geographically you don’t learn much, like the rest of standard curriculum on Sulia – you don’t learn much. I can tell you that the island’s just barely over 5,000 square miles large, and doesn’t have much flat terrain. Mostly hills and mountains here. That’s where most of the homes are built; in the hills. It’s population: 73,121.”

“73,124 now. Ryuugazaki’s mate just had triplets.” Sasabe said. 

Ukai sent him look of pleasant surprise. “Did they now? Well, congratulations to them.” Sasabe nodded in agreement.

Yachi and Ennoshita exchanged dubious looks. Those were some very low numbers. It had been almost a thousand years since the Great War between humans and Sulia, which drove the latter kind to this very island and to the brink of extinction. Back then, the Sulia population numbers were estimated to be in the very low thousands. After they swam to the island to escape pursuit from humans, no one really knew what happened to them afterwards. Some thought they either all drowned in the swim across or died out from living such total seclusion, but there was later evidence many years later that their kind was still alive, but whether they were thriving was uncertain. One would think a thousand years is plenty of time to recuperate from such a heavy blow to their people. It only piqued Yachi’s interest more knowing that it hadn’t been, and that the Sulia were still struggling to survive even now after all this time. What had happened during those thousand years?

“Alright kids,” their professor started, turning to them, “Follow me. And do not, under any circumstances say a word to anyone until we get to our destination, am I clear?” The students nodded vigorously, small fear rising in the pits of their stomachs. 

They started down the dirt path, walking silent through the murky mist. Trees and shrubbery surrounded the trail, growing denser as the small group of four trekked deeper into the woodlands. After hiking for about thirty minutes, they caught their first glimpses of civilization. Mounded, grassy hills peeked out through the thinning trees, their fronts flattened and stamped with circular doors and windows, fenced in with small stone walkways and decorated with colorful potted plants. It was something that neither Yachi nor Ennoshita would ever have imagined the Sulia society to be like. But it was charming, picturesque, and beautiful in every right.

“You have the wrong idea! I didn’t do shit to your mate!” Mostly beautiful, anyway. The nearby argument of two Sulia caught the attention of the group. “The hell makes you think I would do that? I have the fucking decency not to bother someone who’s bonded –“

“No! Fuck you! I don’t trust an alpha who isn’t mated.” The other Sulia snarled. He bared his sharp teeth to the brunette alpha and let loose a feral, intimidating growl that sent shivers down both Yachi and Ennoshita’s spines. “Don’t fucking flirt with my mate!” the Sulia bellowed, shoving the other alpha roughly and causing the latter to bump into Ennoshita as the group was passing by the unruly scene. The student was pushed backwards, falling to his feet from the impact, and he froze in place as a shadow loomed over him.

“Watch where the fuck you’re walking, beta.” The alpha spat. Ennoshita shrunk at the fierce glare the Sulia threw his way, shaking in his shoes. He didn’t dare let a breath leave his lips until the alpha turned away, then let loose a heavy sigh. “Hold on. What the hell?” Someone was close to his face, sniffing, and it took a moment for Ennoshita to comprehend that it was the alpha. “You don’t…you don’t have a scent.” The alpha frowned and Ennoshita felt the blood drain from his face. “The hell? I thought you were a beta ‘cause I couldn’t really smell anything but there’s literally nothing to smell. The fuck is wrong with you? What’s your nature, freak?” The alpha gripped Ennoshita’s shirt. “Speak, dammit.” Sweat dripped down Ennoshita’s brow.

“Let the kid go.” A spine-chilling command reverberated across the hills. The firm grip on Ennoshita’s shirt fell, and the alpha stepped away at least ten paces, along with the other Sulia. Ukai approached Ennoshita and dusted him off, pulling his student to his feet. “And don’t start fights where there’s nothing to fight about. Do you not think anything through before acting?” The Sulia bowed in submission, shrinking away. Ukai turned to Ennoshita. “You okay there?”

Ennoshita nodded weakly. “I-I think s-so.” He replied shakily. 

“Good. Then brush it off and let’s keep walking. We’ve got no less ground to cover.” Ukai replied, starting forward again. Yachi sent him a sympathetic look, tugging him along by the arm as they too, followed behind. Another two hours of trekking went by, which were full of fascinating sights for both the students, pointed out by their professor who might say: “There. That’s the school building.” Or “The hospital is over that way.” Or “That’s where some of the crops are harvested.” It was all very intriguing and brought new realizations to light about the Sulia culture and way of life. For example, the Sulia were not extremely technologically advanced like back on the mainland; they didn’t have computers, cell phones, internet, or really any of the modern age advancements that Yachi and Ennoshita were so reliant on. It was a bit like stepping back in time. Perhaps this failure to advance came from a lack of resources due to the small size of the island and being cut off from the mainland, leaving it difficult to progress to the degree to which humans had. However, the one thing that Yachi was noticing was that the Sulia excelled in keeping order. In every part of life they always kept things in line and following the path they had set it out upon. It was truly remarkable. It also seemed as though everyone gave back to each other equally in some way; everyone played their part in the community. Part of the students’ realizations also brought into question their professor’s nature. It was a wonder as to how he was so knowledgeable on the Sulia. It was strange and rather…unnerving. 

It took a while longer for them to finally stop walking, and by then, Yachi and Ennoshita were positively exhausted. When Ukai stopped in front of a sizable looking hill home, the pair all but flopped onto the ground to rest. Their professor simply snorted at them. “Well, this is the place you’ll be staying. Now remember, be on your best behavior while you stay here. I don’t care how kindly or poorly your hosts treat you, you will treat them with all the respect in the world.” The students paled, but nodded regardless. “But…I don’t really expect the pack leaders here to treat you awfully. They’re good people. Just be polite and do what they ask of you.” Ukai paused a moment, seeming to contemplate the metrics of the situation, before he sighed, ignoring his own thoughts. He turned, brought his hand up to the door, and knocked twice. 

A few seconds passed in heavy, weighted silence, but they felt like agonizing hours. Yachi could hear the sound of footsteps approaching the door and someone speaking on the other side, probably about them, and then the doorknob was turning and the cherry wood of the door was being opened. A man stood on the other side of the entrance; he was tall with short, cropped brown hair, a muscular build and a face that Yachi thought could be scary at times if it got angry, but was very warm and inviting now. To the man’s right was a softly smiling, ash-blonde haired man with auburn eyes and creamy skin, a gentle aura and…was he… _pregnant?_

Okay. Yachi knew the Sulia were a different kind. She knew that this was something that was possible amongst the Sulia. But actually _seeing it_ , face to face; it didn’t feel real. She didn’t know whether she was going to pass out, hyperventilate, or scream. All of them seemed like extremely rude options. She already knew she was staring and that was bad enough.

Seriously. 

_Stop. Staring._

“Sawamura-san, these are the two students I informed you about. They won’t cause you any trouble at all, I assure you.” Ukai nudged the pair with his elbow. “Go on, introduce yourselves.” 

Yachi stuttered, her mind going haywire as she scrambled to collect her thoughts. “A-Ah! Um…My name is Y-Yachi Hitoka! I look forward to staying with you!” She bowed deeply. 

Ennoshita mimicked her bow. “M-My name is Ennoshita Chikara! It’s very nice to meet you!”

The Sulia couple smiled at the pair. The tall, muscular man spoke first in reply. “I’m Sawamura Daichi, alpha. It’s a pleasure to meet you as well.” He too, gave them a small bow.

“And I am Sawamura Koushi, an omega, and Daichi’s mate. I hope you enjoy your stay with us.” Koushi didn’t bow due to rounded belly, but dipped his head in respect to the student pair. A small lapse of silence filled the air as awkward glances were exchanged between the group. After a moment, Koushi cleared his throat and smiled gently. “Well, um, why don’t you all come inside?”

The students nodded quietly and followed after the mated couple, stepping into the entranceway and pulling their belongings inside with the help of their professor. They were lead through a large gathering room furnished with some cushy looking couches and chairs, adorned with hand-sewn pillows and knit blankets. A patterned rug was strewn across the floor, and an oak coffee table sat in the center of the room. A fireplace inlayed with coarse stone was imbedded in the far right wall. On the opposite wall stood a tall bookcase that expansed the entire wall, filled with a myriad of colorful tomes and knickknacks that Yachi desperately wanted to investigate. But first things first: tackle the social situation.

“Well, this is our main room,” Daichi said. “This is the common area for the pack to relax together. Feel free to make yourself comfortable in this space anytime you like.” 

Koushi turned to the pair of students. “You are here to learn, right?”

“A-Ah! Yes!” Yachi jumped. “W-We want to learn everything we can!”

Koushi smiled. “Well, I’m sure anyone here will be more than happy to answer any questions you have. I work in the medical profession, so any questions in that realm are things I can answer. Also,” Koushi gestured to the books on the shelf, “there are all sorts of books on different subjects in there. There are textbooks for school, children’s books, novels, medical dictionaries – so I’m sure you’ll find something useful.” 

Yachi gaped at the omega. She really hadn’t expected the Sulia to be so…welcoming? Well, there were the earlier hostilities but that could really be somewhat discounted – Yachi had more or less expected greater resistance to their presence here. After all, there was so much unresolved tension from the past. Yet, his kindness and care to be accommodating was really quite amazing, especially considering the huge gap of understanding between their two species. “T-Thank you so much!” she exclaimed, earning another smile from the omega. 

“It’s nothing at all,” he replied simply, and took a seat on one of the couches, letting out a heavy breath.

Daichi sent his mate a concerned look. “Koushi?”

“I’m fine, Dai-kun!” Koushi insisted, waving at the air with his hand. “Just needed to get off my feet for a minute.” 

Ukai moved in, shifting his two students’ bags so they were sitting next to one of the couches. He plopped down on the couch opposite to Koushi. “Why don’t we all take a seat, then?” He eyed his students. “Let’s be considerate to our hosts.” Yachi and Ennoshita moved quickly to sit next to him, and Daichi took a seat next to his mate. “So, you two are expecting huh?” Ukai began, “How far along are you?”

Koushi placed a hand atop his protruding stomach, rubbing gently. “Almost five months.”

“Really now? Shoot, I’ve missed a lot.” Ukai scratched at his jaw. “How’s Hotaru?”

“He’s doing really well!” Daichi replied. “He’s starting to walk on his own now.”

“Already? Kids grow up so fast. I swear he was just born yesterday.”

Ennoshita exchanged blank looks with Yachi. It was strange to the both of them, what with the way their professor spoke with the mated Sulia pair like they were old friends. Ukai was becoming cloudier by the minute. Perhaps he himself was…but that was crazy right?

Yachi jumped in her skin as the door to the den was suddenly opened and the front hall filled with boisterous voices and the sound of shoes slapping against wooden floor. There was laughing, two or more people were arguing over something Yachi had no knowledge about, and leisurely, muted chatter that slowly transformed from background noise into the very environment around Yachi herself. The gathering room seemed to flood with people, and the noise grew louder from the chatter of the new arrivals. Yachi could hear Ennoshita’s breath quicken beside her, and she too, felt a rush of anxiety cascade upon her. 

Suddenly, everything went quiet. 

As much as she didn’t want to pry her eyes from the coffee table or the two very welcoming Sulia on the couch opposite her, temptation overcame her and Yachi found herself pulling her gaze upwards to look upon a somewhat startled, but perhaps mostly taken aback, crowd. There were six of them in total, and all seemed to wear different expressions on their faces ranging from disgust, alarm, curiosity, discomfort, to shear unbridled ire. She was vaguely aware that Ennoshita seemed to have stopped breathing somewhere in the span of four seconds since she last checked, and her own breath caught in her throat as she met the eyes of the Sulia group. 

“Welcome back everyone.” Koushi said, sounding remarkably cheerful for all the tension that blanketed the air. No one made any true reply, save for some incoherent mumbling. Koushi sent a glance in the direction of the two frightened humans. “Now, now, shouldn’t you all introduce yourselves? Don’t be rude to our guests.” Koushi sent the group a threatening glare that spurred at least one Sulia to speak. 

“O-Oh um…” The Sulia mumbled somewhat nervously perhaps, fidgeting with the bottom of his white t-shirt. His hair was pulled back into a small, loose bun behind his head, and the rough beginnings of a beard lined his chin. “Azumane…Asahi…beta.” The man said, never once meeting the eyes of the two human students. They simply nodded and bowed their heads politely in return.

“Tanaka Ryuunosuke! I’m the strongest alpha ever!” A hand was shoved unceremoniously in front of the faces of the two students, offered by a shaven, overly enthusiastic Sulia with a shit-eating grin on his face. The students shook the man’s hand (even though they were still kind of freaked out by his forwardness), which he eagerly accepted. Afterwards he turned away, holding the hand smugly in the air like he had accomplished some kind of amazing feat. 

Someone else stepped forward, Yachi caught eyes with them; he was probably around the same age as her, with fiery tufts of hair and curious, auric eyes that seemed to long for answers to questions Yachi didn’t know. He was eager, and seemed entirely oblivious to the dangerous aura behind him. “Kageyama Shouyou, omega.” Shouyou offered his hand to the two students, and as soon as Yachi lifted hers to shake the Sulia’s outstretched hand, a guttural, dangerous and threatening growl snarled up from behind the omega, and Yachi was flinching backwards faster than she could take a breath. The omega named Shouyou’s hand was gripped firmly and pulled away from the reach of either Yachi or Ennoshita (not that they’d try for it now), and he was being tugged behind a tall, raven-haired Sulia who’s lip was curled and baring sharpened teeth, and who’s cobalt eyes were shooting daggers down at the shocked and frightened human students. “…Tobio?” Shouyou questioned hesitantly from behind the livid Sulia. “Tobio? I’m fine; you don’t need to protect me from anything.” He was still growling in front of Shouyou, his arms out protectively in front of him. 

“I-I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to m-make you angry o-or upset!” Yachi stammered, waving her hands back and forth. “We r-really mean you no h-harm – “

 _“Don’t touch my mate.”_ The Sulia snapped, his fingers curling and his voice thick. Then, without pause, he spun around, scooped Shouyou up and over his shoulder, and stomped out of the room, while the omega in his arms pestered him in confusion. 

The sound of feet stomping down the hallway was the only noise echoing into the room, and then, after a moment, the slam of a door. Silence followed. The tension in the room thickened tenfold. Yachi was breathing heavily and Ennoshita wasn’t breathing at all, but both were shaking in their shoes. 

“Um…I’m Yamaguchi Tadashi…omega?” A voice broke the silence. An uncertain, brown-haired, freckle-faced Sulia approached slowly. He stopped when a firm hand on his shoulder halted his progress.

“Don’t try it.” Yamaguchi shrunk back at the blonde Sulia, his face framed with a pair of black, rectangular specs. He was frowning, deeply, and his eyes glared coldly at the human pair on the couch. They cowered in return. After a moment of ice cold stares, the Sulia gripped Yamaguchi’s arm and tugged him out of the room, a scowl firmly carved on his features. 

The painful silence returned. 

Daichi was frowning. He glanced at the humans on the opposite couch – their forms trembling and their faces pale. He frowned deeper. Instincts – yes – perhaps that could be to blame for such rude behavior – the urge to protect against a perceived threat. Or simply, was it a reaction of bias, long held scorn and condemnation for what had happened in the past? Either way, disrespect was disrespect. It was not tolerated.

“Please accept my sincerest apologies for the offensive and rude behavior of those two.” Daichi said solemnly, turning to the students and drawing their attention. “The alpha first to walk out, Kageyama Tobio, is quite quick to anger and has some trouble wrangling his emotions at times. I believe he was merely acting on his emotions in that moment, perceiving you as a threat and thus urged to do whatever he felt was necessary to protect what is most important to him – which would be his mate. I don’t think he walked out of here because of pure spite.” Yachi and Ennoshita listened quietly, drinking in the new information. “The second alpha, Tsukishima Kei, I am more uncertain of. He’s not so driven by emotions as Kageyama is, but more by logic. His reasons for leaving were likely more personal. Again, I apologize on behalf of my pack.”

“A-ah it’s a-alright…” Ennoshita replied shakily. “I-It was just a little surprising, is all.”

Koushi eyed the pair. They were still definitely scared stiff. There was no way it was ‘just a little surprising’. It scared the shit out of them. Heading to a foreign environment and encountering foreign things is frightening enough, but having something threaten you like that is just crossing the line. Koushi sighed. They really, desperately, wanted to be as welcoming and accommodating as they could to their guests without any bad blood being brought up from the past. They wanted to smooth things over – maybe get a fresh start. It could’ve been nice. 

Of course that couldn’t happen. 

“I see Kageyama is still as temperamental as always.” Ukai began, addressing Daichi and Koushi, “He hasn’t gotten into any more fights has he?”

Daichi shook his head. “He’s calmed down quite a bit. Honestly, I only see him really get to that level when someone brings Shouyou into it.” 

“And Tsukishima still isn’t bonded?”

“No, not yet.”

Ukai hummed to himself. “He certainly acts like he’s bonded.”

“Might just have to do with courting someone for that long.” Koushi replied. 

“Perhaps.” Ukai mused. He glanced at a clock on the wall. “I hope you’ll forgive me but, I think I’ll take my leave.” Panic flashed across Yachi and Ennoshita’s faces. Their eyes widened, and they sent their professor a pleading look, one that screamed _‘do not leave us alone here with these people’_. He met their gaze and simply shrugged. “I have someone I need to go see.”

Daichi and Koushi exchanged knowing looks, nodding in mutual understanding. “That would be a good idea.” Ukai rose to his feet, nodding at the rest of the pack. Daichi escorted him to the door. “I’d tread carefully though, I have a strong feeling they’re not particularly happy with you.”

“I’m fully aware of that.” Ukai replied, sighing into his hands. He poked his head into the gathering room one final time to shout an enthusiastic, “Good luck kids!” at Yachi and Ennoshita before waving good-bye to the congregation. 

Yachi and Ennoshita instantly felt ten times worse. 

“Well, ah, why don’t we show you to your room?” Koushi offered, smiling gently. The human pair nodded meekly, grabbing their bags and following the mated couple down the hall. Their room was the last door on the left, right next to the room with the shut door that was currently muting the sound of two people arguing. Already it was… _so pleasant_ here. They quickly shuffled inside their soon-to-be room and placed their bags against the wall nearest the door. There were two single beds, both made up neatly with some simple linens and down covers, and pushed against the left and right walls, respectively. A dresser was pushed up in the space between them, and a vase of flowers sat atop it. A circular throw rug sat in the center of the room.

“Hopefully this will be enough for the both of you.” Daichi said. 

“Oh, certainly! This is just fine!” Yachi said, bowing in polite thanks. Ennoshita did the same. 

“Ah, that’s wonderful.” Koushi said, smiling. The voices in the room next door increased in volume. Koushi quickly jumped to cover the noise, “W-Well, um, we all eat dinner together here, so we hope you’ll join us for that!” Koushi eyed Daichi and jerked his head towards the wall.

Daichi caught on quickly. “A-Ah yes! H-Having dinner together is a really important part of our lifestyle!”

_“I’m trying to look out for you, dumbass!”_

_“Being an asshole to our guests is ‘looking out for me?’”_

_“When they’re humans, I’m pretty fucking sure that qualifies–“_

“WE DISCUSS NEWS AND ANY IMPORTANT ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT THE PACK HAS.” Daichi raised his voice in an attempt to cover the voices from next door, startling the two students at his sudden loudness. 

Koushi nodded and poked his mate in the side. “Oh! Daichi! It’s probably just about time for Hotaru to wake up from his nap! Come help me?”

“Sure thing, sweetheart!”

They left quickly (looking…deeply relieved?) and left Yachi and Ennoshita to their own devices to settle in to the room. The students exchanged glances as yet again the argument next door seeped through the wall. 

_“Hm. You know, if they really wanted to kill us…THEY WOULD HAVE DONE IT ALREADY!”_

_“SOME PEOPLE PLOT OUT MURDER, DUMBASS!”_

“Um…do they really think we’re trying to kill them?” Yachi asked.

Ennoshita shrugged, his brows furrowed upwards. “I don’t know? It kind of sounds that way.” 

Yachi wore a helpless expression. “But…I don’t understand…do I look like a murderer?” She panicked, looking down at herself. 

“No. You’re about as threatening as a stationary potato.” 

“Oh. Ok, good.” Yachi breathed. She thought a moment. “I guess there’s still a lot of anger and distrust passed down from the Great War, huh?”

Ennoshita nodded in agreement. “I can’t really say I’m surprised by that. The Great War was genocide of their people. And to add on to it, they haven’t talked to a human in centuries. Many of their perceptions of what we’re all still like are probably still locked in that mindset from the Great War.”

Yachi sighed. “This is tough…”

A knock on the opened door of the room jolted the students from their places. They spun around. “Knock, knock~” Tanaka sang before waltzing into the guest room with another new face in tow. “Yuu, bro, these are the two human people! Look at the blonde one, she’s so tiny.” Yachi blushed.

A Sulia with black and partially blonde hair stepped forward, smiling brightly. There was a young child in his arms, perhaps not even a year of age. He gaped at Yachi. “She’s smaller than me!”

“Heck yeah! You’re not the shortest person in the den anymore!”

The shorter Sulia beamed. “My name is Yuu. Azumane Yuu. I’m an omega.” He shifted the infant in his arms. “And this is Nariko, my daughter.”

“Oh, she’s really cute!” Yachi gushed. Ennoshita shifted closer as did Yachi. Yachi lifted her hand. “Um, is it okay…?”

Yuu backed up several paces. “Oh. Um, no.” He held his daughter tighter to his body, as though he were afraid Yachi or Ennoshita would snatch her from his grasp. His eyes narrowed. “Don’t touch her.” 

“O-Oh sorry…”

Nariko exploded into a loud cry, as though she sensed the distress from her mother. Yuu’s face fell, and he attempted to quiet his child but it clearly wasn’t working. He quickly excused himself, murmuring words of comfort to his daughter under his breath as he left. 

Tanaka sighed. “Gotta be careful around omega mothers; they can turn crazy fierce to protect their young. I once saw Koushi-san throttle an alpha when he got too close to Hotaru. Knocked the guy out. That was probably the scariest thing I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen Daichi angry.”

“Um…” Ennoshita stared at Tanaka. Tanaka didn’t seem to be bothered by either him or Yachi, and quite honestly seemed perfectly okay talking completely normally around the both of them. Which was fine, Ennoshita supposed, just different. 

“Well, see you at dinner!” Tanaka winked and stuffed his hands into his pockets, then swaggered out of the room, whistling some odd tune to himself. Silence and a sense of solitude and finally enveloped the room. Ennoshita let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

“Well this is really…” Yachi began.

“…Interesting.” Ennoshita finished. 

Yachi nodded. “That’s a…pretty good word for it right now.” 

“Well…I’m sure we’ll learn something from all this, right?” Ennoshita asked.

“R-Right…”

Ennoshita looked around the room. “I guess we should…settle in?”

* * *

Koushi pulled the freshly cooked bread from the wood fired stove, setting the steaming pan onto the polished stone countertop. Kiyoko had returned home from work that day and was working to prepare the fish – they were going to grill some seasoned salmon as their main course and serve it with a side of steamed rice and fresh vegetables. Yuu and Asahi were helping to prepare the latter. 

“So what do you think of the humans so far?” Yuu asked.

Koushi removed his hot-mits and turned to face the other omega who was busy slicing a cucumber. “Well…they seem friendly enough so far. Perhaps a bit timid. They just need time to adjust to how we live here.” Koushi smiled faintly. “Speaking of, you should have seen the girl when they first got here. I think she nearly passed out at the sight of me.”

Yuu laughed loudly. “The belly?”

“What else could it have been?” Koushi chuckled as well. “I mean, male humans can’t have children. Must’ve been a pretty shocking sight. Like…imagine a pregnant alpha.”

Everyone paused their motions to think. Yuu spoke after a moment. “I can’t even do that. I’m picturing Ryuu and its weirding me out so much.” He laughed.

“That’s a good way of painting their perspective, though.” Asahi said. Kiyoko hummed in agreement. 

Koushi nodded. “Poor kids though. Kageyama and Tsukishima probably scared them so much it’ll be difficult to really gain trust with them.”

Asahi placed a bunch of diced carrots into a bowl. “I think we’re all pretty on edge right now. We shouldn’t force anything just yet. It’s still too early.” Koushi nodded again. 

“Koushi-san.” Kiyoko began, drawing the omega’s attention, “The fish is finished cooking, so I think it would be alright to call everyone to dinner now.” Koushi gave her his mutual agreement and stuck his head out of the kitchen and hollered to the rest of the pack that dinner was ready. Then he went about setting up the dining table with plates and silverware and pulled the toddler’s high chair into place next to his own seat for Hotaru. The food preparers set the meal on the table just as attendants started to arrive, each one taking their respective place at the table. Yuu went to fetch his daughter, and returned just in time to see the last two guests arriving: Yachi and Ennoshita. They stood by awkwardly until Daichi waved them over to sit to his left, where there were a convenient two empty seats. 

They pair of students sat themselves down quietly, and immediately felt harsh gazes settling upon them. Yachi glanced up and regretted it immediately. He eyes met the glare of the raven who had stormed out on her and Ennoshita earlier – what was his name…Kageyama? Kageyama Tobio? Someone slapped Tobio on the shoulder, a male with hair of orange. This was his mate from earlier, Shouyou, the one Tobio had been so upset about Yachi and Ennoshita shaking hands with. Tobio eyed him, and the orangette gave his mate an angry look and said something to him that Yachi couldn’t hear but clearly affected the taller male judging by the way his expression changed. Tobio nodded slowly and whispered something back, and Shouyou’s expression lightened. He kissed the raven on the lips, and Yachi blushed darkly at witnessing something that she felt like she really shouldn’t be intruding on at all.

“Ugh, will you two cut it with the lovey-dovey shit? It’s disgusting.” Tsukishima frowned at the couple as he picked food from the center of the table and placed it onto his plate.

Shouyou stuck out his tongue. “Only when you pull that stick out of your ass.”

“No cursing in front of the children.” Daichi scolded. Both apologized quietly. 

Everyone busied themselves with piling their plates with food and filling their mouths full. Conversations were either held privately amongst two or three people or simply not held at all, and silence was appreciated. It wasn’t for a few minutes when Koushi turned from feeding his son to address the pair of students that the attention of the pack seemed to spark. 

“So, Yachi-san, Ennoshita-san, you are both in university right? What are you studying?” 

There was a pause between the time the two registered that they were being spoken to and the time it took to form their answers. Ennoshita spoke first. “O-Oh um…biology. W-Well obviously it’s more than just biology because I have more courses than just that but – I’m studying to be a biologist.”

“Very nice!” Koushi affirmed. “And you, Yachi-san?”

“U-Um, Zoology. I’ll be studying animal behaviors and genetics and all that kind of stuff.” 

“Very interesting.” Daichi interjected. “So do they have you take specific courses at your university related to Sulia?” 

“They do actually!” Yachi said, smiling. This was a good topic. It was something their hosts could easily talk about, and it was their reason for coming here in the first place. “It was required for my field, and it must’ve been for Ennoshita’s too. The material is…really outdated though. That’s what Professor Ukai has always said.” Ennoshita nodded.

Tanaka put down his glass. “Wait.” He looked at the pair in confusion, then over to Daichi. “Since when did Coach Ukai become a professor?”

Daichi gave him a complex look, but was interrupted by Ennoshita’s confused, “Coach?”

“Yes. Coach. The coach of our volleyball team.” Tanaka said simply.

Yachi and Ennoshita exchanged looks of mild surprise. “The professor is a Sulia?” they asked in unison.

Tsukishima sent the pair a demeaning look. “What else would he be? A _human?_ It’s only obvious he’s one of our people.”

Looking back on it, it made perfect sense. The conversations the professor had with Sasabe, Daichi and Koushi, all of his lessons in class and his extreme and extensive knowledge on the Sulia that no human in the modern century really should have had in the first place – it was kind of totally obvious. Yachi and Ennoshita felt immensely stupid for ignoring the signs. But also – they had been around a Sulia for how long? and they didn’t even know it!

“Ah, don’t mind, don’t mind.” Koushi said soothingly. “We’ll be happy to teach you anything you’d like to know.” 

“Count me out.” Tsukishima said. “I don’t need you knowing anything that you could use to take advantage of me.”

“Tsukki!” Yamaguchi exclaimed, looking shocked. 

Tsukishima was unaffected. “What. Don’t tell me none of you aren’t thinking the same thing.” Tobio eyed him carefully.

Daichi frowned at the blonde haired alpha. “Certainly not. And I suggest you change your mindset quickly if you want a place at this table.” Daichi gave Tsukishima a hard glare and jerked his head in the direction out of the room, and Tsukishima frowned. He quickly got the message though, picking up his plate with a sigh and leaving the rest of the group to finish their meal without him.

Koushi’s brows knit upwards sympathetically at the rest of the table. “Well, ah, there’s plenty food left! Seconds, anyone?”

* * *

“Look, I don’t like you.”

“Don’t state the obvious.” 

“Will you let me talk for a fucking minute?” 

“I think that’s longer than I can stand hearing your voice, King.”

“Do you want to hear my proposition or are you gonna continue being an asshole for the rest of the conversation?”

“…You have one minute.”

“I don’t like you. You don’t like me. But I know for damn sure that we both don’t like those two humans here in the den. I don’t like them around Shouyou, and I know you don’t like them around Yamaguchi.”

“…So what?”

“In all truth, you are the last person I’d ever go to for anything.”

“Feeling’s mutual.”

“But Shouyou is already pissed off at me for disliking the humans and wants me to be less aggressive around them. And I can’t really say I can do that. You feel the same, don’t you?”

“…”

“I hate asking ‘cause I hate your fucking face, but, work with me on this. I don’t trust them.”

“…Tch. Fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *gasp* Do we have an unlikely alliance? Seems that way…
> 
> But for fuck’s sake Kags and Tsukki are honestly acting like a bunch of movie cliché high school teenage girls – forming cliques and being overprotective of their boyfriends 
> 
> And I want to mention something about the dens! I was totally inspired by the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Anytime I tried imagining what a person living in a home with den-like aspects would look like, I kept picturing hobbit homes. So they're kind of like that. 
> 
> And the Sulia have a language of their own (that stuff you saw in the beginning) – one that isn’t really used too often anymore. Now it’s mainly found in historical texts or used to name things like plants and fossils. So you probably won’t see characters having conversations with it. But…um…vocabulary!  
>  _enei_ : point, location  
>  _li_ : of  
>  _saesor_ : harmony, peace
> 
> And thank you to everyone who reads, leaves kudos, or leaves me comments! I thrive off your feedback – it really lets me know you’re enjoying the story, or allows me to answer your questions! But I’ve honestly been blown away so far by the response I’ve gotten to this story; the amount of people who have read and how many who are enjoying it. Thank you! <3


	6. We Don't Want You Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was a large, deep lake shimmering in the late-afternoon sun. Tsukishima stood at the bank of the lake, holding the strap of the camera case in his hand. He looked at the item in repulsion. 
> 
> “Toss it.” Tobio said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote like half of this today I'm so awful at things

For whatever reason, Ennoshita and Yachi had a restless sleep that night. It wasn’t at all that the accommodations were uncomfortable in any way – quite the opposite, in fact. Their beds were far comfier than the ones they had back home, which came as a bit of a surprise. (But really, it was like they were lying on a huge marshmallow.) There was one window on the farthest wall, which curved to accommodate the circular frame of the den’s structure, and allowed for streaks of moonlight to filter into the room. It was all the light they had once the lamps turned off and everything plunged into near darkness. That was a bit of a change – back at university there was always light at any hour of day: lights from the dorm hallway, from cars, streetlights, other buildings, just something. And it was far quieter too. Compared to during the day, the den seemed to settle into a hushed calm during nightfall. That was quite a huge difference compared to the mainland where something was always going on at all hours – someone would always be up making some kind of noise and pissing someone off. 

These things weren’t what the problem was. No. They were welcomed with open arms.

It was just…everything? Being here, in this place, on this island, was nerve-wracking and induced such an overwhelming sense of anxiety and responsibility that it gripped the pair of students to the core. It was so…strange, being present and living amongst the Sulia on the place they called home. This was something that hadn’t been done before (could it be done?); they were outsiders attempting to better understand a people that humans had never really understood before and it was scary. 

When the early morning light finally filled their room and the sounds of voices and movement in other parts of the den filtered through their ears, it took all of their strength to pull themselves from their bedsheets in a sort of zombified state. Yachi’s hair was a tangled, disheveled mess, there were dark circles under her eyes and her face was dead. Ennoshita was no better, his own appearance much the same as his study partner’s. They gave each other one glance and groaned. It had been a long night. 

The pair did their best to freshen up (it was difficult) to greet the new day and hesitantly opened the bedroom door and stepped out into the hallway. Savory smells lifted their senses, and Ennoshita felt his mouth begin to water. They followed the scent to the source, walking into the dining room where some of the pack was seated and enjoying breakfast. There were sounds from the kitchen, most likely the others still cooking more food. 

“Ah! You are Yachi-san and Ennoshita-san, right?” Yachi and Ennoshita jumped at the sudden loudness that intruded their ears. They looked for the source of the voice to see Shouyou waving to them from his seat at the table and scrambling up to walk over to where they were. He was bouncing on his feet in front of them, eyes moving back and forth quickly between them, as though he couldn’t choose which of them to focus on. 

“O-Oh, um…yes.” Yachi replied meekly, feeling a bit surprised by Shouyou’s boundless energy so early in the morning.

“So cool!” Shouyou exclaimed. “I’ve never met anyone like you before. I hope we can be friends!” He offered a hand towards Yachi, and immediately she felt her blood run cold. She glanced over the omega’s shoulder, and sure enough, the reason for the ice running through her veins was sat at the table staring daggers at her and Ennoshita. Tobio wasn’t saying anything verbally, but his body language spoke volumes. And if Yachi remembered one thing from yesterday it was the only thing the alpha had spoken to her and Ennoshita since they had gotten here: _‘Don’t touch my mate.’_

“O-Oh! W-Well, y-you see, I would s-shake your hand, but…um…I can’t!” Yachi stuttered.

Shouyou cocked his head to the side and furrowed his brows in confusion. “Can’t?”

“Right! Can’t!” Yachi reaffirmed. Shouyou continued to grant her a perplexed expression. “A-Ah um, I’m not – I’m not clean yet! I haven’t bathed today and it would be rude to shake your hand if I’m not completely clean! Very, very rude!” 

Shouyou’s face scrunched up. “Is that some weird human tradition or something?”

Yachi nodded her head vigorously. “Y-Yep! Just a totally w-weird thing we do! Us humans am I right, Ennoshita?” She jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. 

Ennoshita scratched his head. “I mean…sure.”

“Oh, um. Okay.” Shouyou simply shrugged his shoulders. “Shake my hand sometime after you take a bath then, okay?” Yachi nodded halfheartedly. “Oh, and I should apologize for yesterday. I’m sorry, that was really rude of my mate to get in your face and then storm off like that. He’s a pain in the ass sometimes.”

“ _Shut up_ , dumbass.”

Shouyou snorted at the offhanded remark. “ _Anyway_ , I just wanted to come up here and say hi! I’ll be seeing you around then, Yachi-san, Ennoshita-san!” He gave them a little wave before bouncing off back to sit next to his mate, who looked thoroughly grumpy. 

Daichi emerged from the kitchen and placed a platter of scrambled eggs, some freshly baked bread as well as some cooked pork on the table. “Oh! Yachi, Ennoshita, please – take a seat. We’re just getting breakfast finished up, so feel free to take anything you like.” They nodded and followed his words, finding their places at the table and pulling an assortment of food items onto pre-prepared plates. They ate mostly in silence, feeling far too exhausted to participate in conversation. As they ate, the pack gradually started leaving the table and cleaned up their plates in the kitchen. Yachi and Ennoshita finished up after another ten minutes, and the commotion in the gathering room had increased tenfold by the time they went to wash up their plates. They exchanged curious looks between each other before stepping out from the kitchen and walking down the hall to enter the gathering room, where most of the pack had gathered in a discombobulated frenzy in anticipation for…something. 

Yachi approached Koushi, who had seated himself on the couch. “O-Oh um, where is everyone going?” Yachi asked as she watched the group tug on shoes.

Koushi looked at Yachi in pleasant surprise. He wasn’t going to say it out loud but, that was the first time either of the two students had actually started a conversation without being prompted first. That wasn’t saying they were over any of their fears or were feeling comfortable yet, certainly not, but – it was a good thing they were feeling curious about things. “To volleyball practice.” Koushi replied. “The group plays on a small team and participates in competitions against the few other teams we have on the island here. Not everyone in the pack goes to practices however, like me or Yuu. It used to be all of us, but you know, life changes. We have different responsibilities we carry now. Of course, we do love visiting the team every now and then whenever we get the chance.”

Ennoshita poked Yachi in the arm. She looked at him. He bent down to whisper something in her ear. “We should go to the practice; it could be interesting to watch.”

“You want to go?” Koushi asked. Ennoshita jumped. “Sorry, I completely heard what you said.”

“O-Oh, uh yeah. If we could, I mean.”

Koushi hummed and tapped a finger to his chin. “Let me talk to Daichi. He goes to the practices during most of the week so long as he’s not out on patrol, and has been helping to coach the team while Ukai’s been absent. He can give you permission. One minute.” Koushi approached the group and singled out Daichi, pulling him aside. They held a whispered conversation for a minute, and Daichi glanced at the student pair and nodded slowly. Koushi glanced back at them and gave them a thumbs up. The pair nodded in understanding, and Ennoshita tugged on Yachi’s arm, pulling her back to their room.

“I want to grab my camera equipment.” He said. “This could be cool to film, you know? I mean, I had the thought before we left that maybe I could make a documentary with some of the footage I take here. Maybe submit it as part of our project.” 

Yachi hummed in agreement, grabbing her own bag. “Well, you’re really good at that kind of thing so – go for it. I could take pictures and notes.” Ennoshita nodded. He grabbed his camera bag and tugged it over his shoulder, and both of them slipped on a pair of sneakers. They made their way back to the volleyball group and stood at an awkward distance while the team prepared to leave. Daichi directed the group out the door and the students made move to follow, but shuddered at the sound of a snarl.

“ _They’re_ coming with us?” Tsukishima asked, his voice the epitome of bite and sharpness.

“Is that a problem?” Daichi inquired, his eyes narrowing.

Tsukishima frowned and his jaw tightened to a hard lock. He had the sneaking suspicion Daichi would kick him out of practice if he said anything, so he shut up good. He simply pushed passed the others and out the door, sharing a glance with Tobio that went unnoticed by the rest of the team. Daichi grimaced, ushering the rest of the group out the door along with the student pair. 

They followed the team down a road lined with other houses, and walked (some ran, opting to race to their destination) for roughly fifteen minutes until the building in question was in view. It had a curved roof, but was rectangular in structure. Long sets of windows lined the lengthy expanse of walls, and a set of metallic double doors were already swung open and allowing entrance to the gymnasium. The reason why was made apparent as soon as the group walked inside and found Tobio and Shouyou leaning against the far wall, out of breath.

“Beat you, _*huff*_ dumbass…”

Shouyou panted heavily. “Liar. I clearly _*huff*_ won, you idiot…” The team quickly bypassed them, ignoring the pair entirely.

Ennoshita and Yachi paused at the door, staring. “Do you think that’s commonplace?” Ennoshita asked. Yachi shrugged. They too shuffled past and walked into the gym. It was brightly lit in the morning light and smelled freshly clean. The glossed paneled floors shone and squeaked under everyone’s sneakers. 

The doors to the gym opened again and slammed as they closed behind the new arrival. Some faces turned to greet whoever walked in, but admittedly everyone’s attention was gathered by the sounds of gasps and stuttered words of concern. Yachi and Ennoshita looked over as well, and were shocked to see their ‘professor’ looking bruised and battered as well as thoroughly sleep deprived. Daichi rushed forward.

“Shoot – Coach!?” He placed a hand on the older man’s shoulder. “Shimizu, can you grab some ice? There’s some nasty bruising here.” Kiyoko nodded silently and hurried off to retrieve a towel and some ice, as well as proper medical supplies. “What happened? This wasn’t Ittetsu was it?”

Ukai grimaced, taking a seat in a chair by the wall. “Well there’s not really anyone else I saw in the past 12 hours who’d be pissed off enough to take several swings at my face.” Daichi swallowed and gave Ukai a look of pity. “Don’t look at me like that. I deserved it. No one should be without their mate for that long.” Kiyoko returned with the wrapped ice and held it up to Ukai, who pushed it away. “I did something wrong, and these are the repercussions. I can handle being in pain for a few weeks over something that pained my mate for over a year.”

“It’s going to get worse if you don’t take care of it.” Kiyoko replied. “Ittetsu may be angry with you now, but he doesn’t hate you. He’d want you to take care of yourself.” Ukai sighed in resignation at the beta’s words. He frowned, but took the ice anyway, pressing it to an ugly purple bruise around his eye, wincing at the contact it made with his tender skin. 

“Were you able to talk at all or was it pretty much all teeth and claws?”

Ukai shook his head. “It was a lot of that. He didn’t seem to know what to do at first when I walked through the door, but he got angry pretty quick. It went downhill for a while after that.” There was another sigh. “I did manage to calm him down enough to talk and explain myself but that only seemed to rile him up more afterwards. He looked so…betrayed. Like I had picked humanity over our people, over being with him and…ah shit…” Ukai dropped his face into his palm, “…I fucked up so bad.”

Daichi raised his hands in a placating manner. “Well…don’t be too hard on yourself! Maybe something good can come from this?”

“Nothing good can come from Ittetsu’s pain.”

Daichi had a feeling of unease root into his gut. He glanced at Yachi and Ennoshita, doubt creeping upon his senses, before he turned back to Ukai. He cleared his throat to ease the strange turn that the air had taken. “Well, um, I’ll have everyone set up and start warming up. Just take your time, okay?” Ukai tilted his head in recognition. Daichi nodded awkwardly. “It’s good to have you back though, Coach.”

Ukai nodded. “Yeah. Thanks.”

Daichi focused on the group behind him, and gave them orders to start getting ready for practice. Ennoshita and Yachi took seats on the bench by the sidelines, watching the group pull out equipment, scramble about the gym and banter with each other as they prepared for practice. Ennoshita shifted his bag into his lap and opened the zipper. He located his camera – it was a pretty nice model, had a great lens for capturing videos and photos – and pulled the item out of his bag. He switched the power on, and the screen lit up and the lens opened. 

“What the hell is that?” 

Ennoshita jumped violently, the camera nearly falling from his hands and to the floor. He steadied himself and made eye contact with Tsukishima, who had paused his actions in setting up the net to glare unceremoniously at Ennoshita. “O-Oh um, this?” Ennoshita moved the camera in his hands for emphasis. “It’s a camera…you take photos and videos with it – “

“Is it some kind of weapon?” Tsukishima narrowed his eyes. Tobio stopped his own preparations at the mention of the word ‘weapon’. He scowled at Ennoshita from a distance.

“No! No, no, of course not!” Ennoshita panicked. “I-It’s nothing dangerous! You just point it at something like this and –“

Tsukishima snarled. “Don’t point that thing at me!” 

“S-Sorry! Sorry!” Ennoshita apologized eagerly. “I was just trying to demonstrate what the camera does! I-I can show you –“

“You’re not going to show me anything.” Tsukishima approached the student slowly, and Ennoshita felt a cold sweat run down his neck. 

“Please believe me! A-Ah – um – Yachi! I’ll use it on Yachi to show you it’s nothing dangerous!” He tugged on Yachi’s arm to pull her closer. “Y-Yachi, here, let me take a picture of you.” Tsukishima growled as Ennoshita lifted the camera and pointed it at his classmate’s face. Yachi smiled weakly, uneased by the tension. There was the sound of the camera’s shutter as Ennoshita took the picture, and Tsukishima eyed him warily. Ennoshita turned the device around to show the alpha the screen, which Tsukishima flinched at, but peered at regardless. He looked back and forth between the camera, Yachi, and Ennoshita, perplexity stamped on his features. 

“How did this get here?” Tsukishima pointed to the image of Yachi on the camera screen. 

“The camera captured an image of Yachi and is displaying it.” Ennoshita felt weird explaining something that was really a simple concept to him and millions of others, but here it had to be a pretty foreign concept. “With this you can capture any moment and have a keepsake of that memory.”

Tsukishima frowned, looking partially unconvinced but then again, there was proof right in front of him. “Don’t use that thing on me. I don’t trust you.”

“R-Right! No problem!” Ennoshita replied to Tsukishima’s retreating form, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. _‘That almost got really bad. Gonna have to be cautious with showing my things to these people…’_ Ennoshita thought.

Daichi clapped his hands to gather the attention of the team. “Everyone split into teams! Practice match!”

“Um…Daichi…” Asahi tapped him on the shoulder. “We’re uneven since the Coach is back now. You can play.”

Daichi paused. “Oh. I suppose that’s true.” He thought a moment. “Someone will have to sit out between matches. I can, since it’s not too much of a problem for me.”

“No, why don’t you play? You must miss it right?” Asahi said. “I’ll sit out this time.” 

Daichi decided not to press him on the issue and instead resigned himself, stepping on the court again. It was a nice feeling, finally being able to play again with the rest of the team after so long. It had been so long since he had been on the court like this. 

Shouyou sprinted past the bench Yachi and Ennoshita were sitting on. Ennoshita was busy with his camera trying to get a good angle on the court so he could capture the team playing in the best light. “Yachi-san!” he exclaimed. She jumped, looking up at him. He was beaming. “Look out for my awesome spike, okay?”

She smiled lightly, feeling someone staring at her. “I’ll be sure to watch for it.” Shouyou bounced away happily, taking his own place on the court. 

“Do you mind if I sit here?” Yachi turned, meeting eyes with a new face – someone she had seen before but hadn’t been formally introduced to. The woman was beautiful, with shoulder-length black hair that looked remarkably soft, framed glasses seated upon her nose, a beauty mark on her chin, and pristine, flawless skin. Yachi felt like a shadow in the midst of this woman’s spotlight, incomparable to her grace and presence. She was so beautiful, and Yachi felt herself blushing just looking at her.

“N-No, it’s fine!” she stammered, quickly shifting clumsily so there was more room for the woman to sit. 

“I don’t think I ever really introduced myself. I’m Shimizu Kiyoko. I help manage them team on days when I’m not working at the restaurant in town.” She and Yachi shook hands politely. 

“I-It’s Yachi. Yachi Hitoka. Y-You can call me either one really…um…” Yachi replied.

Kiyoko smiled. “That’s a pretty name.” Yachi colored again. She turned, feeling embarrassed, and focused on the squeak of shoes on the gym floor, and the sound of a volleyball being tossed from one end of the court to the other. “It’s really nice having another girl around.” Kiyoko said suddenly, a tiny smile gracing her features. “Though I suppose I’m not really the only girl, there’s Yuu’s daughter, but having someone who can actively participate in conversations is always a plus.” 

Yachi felt her face grow hot. “O-Oh, um, you think so? I’ve never really thought myself to be that interesting.”

“I think everyone here finds you interesting.” Kiyoko replied. She watched Tsukishima make a block, scoring a point for their team. “I guess we all show it differently. There’s a lot of enthusiasm from some, plain curiosity from others, and a few who just don’t really know what to make of you. Regardless, you’ve captured our attention fully. We’re intrigued.” Kiyoko smiled lightly. “Just as I’m sure you are. It’s a bit like discovering an entirely new world.”

Yachi hummed in agreement. She still didn’t quite know what to make of this place and these people, but the discovery in and of itself was exciting just as much as it was terrifying. 

“Toss!” Shouyou’s voice echoed to where Yachi sat, and she turned to look just in time to see Tobio with the volleyball on the tips of his fingers. It pushed off at an arc, and Shouyou was jumping with his arm outstretched to hit it. The resounding smack when it hit his palm reverberated across the court, and the ball slammed into the other team’s zone, just barely staying in bounds and perfectly out of reach of the players. 

Yachi gaped and Ennoshita looked on in shock. “Woah…”

Shouyou beamed at his setter. Yachi could hear him animatedly ask ‘did you see that?’ only to be told ‘yes of course I saw that, I’m standing right here dumbass’. Nevertheless, Tobio still ruffled his hair affectionately, causing the latter to smile even more. “Yachi-san!” Shouyou called, waving at the small crowd of people on the bench. “Did you see my spike?”

“I saw! It was really cool!” she replied, smiling. Shouyou beamed.

Tobio scowled at Yachi and Ennoshita from a distance. He tapped his mate on the shoulder, drawing the omega’s attention. “Shou, get ready for the next set.”

“I’m going.”

Ennoshita and Yachi watched as the team put the ball back into play. “I’ve never seen something like that before.” Ennoshita said.

Kiyoko nodded. “We have many strong players on our team. Those two have a very strong connection on the court – it’s something they’ve always had. This team brought so many of us together.” Kiyoko had a wistful look about her. “I sometimes wonder what’ll happen to it.”

“What do you mean by that?” Yachi asked.

Kiyoko smiled lightly. “Change sometimes means moving on.”

* * *

“Just get the damn thing will you?” Tobio stood watch in the doorway of the guest room while Tsukishima sniffed the air inside the room. The one with glasses narrowed his eyes.

“Ah, of course your highness. Your humble servant only lives to serve.” His words oozed sarcasm. Tobio glared holes in the back of Tsukishima’s head, wishing they would actually appear in reality. Tsukishima sniffed the room again.

“What are you doing?”

Tsukishima paused. “You don’t smell that?”

Tobio stuck his head in the room and sniffed. There was nothing. “Smell what?”

“Exactly.” Tobio sent him a blank look. Tsukishima frowned. “Oh, right, I forgot everything has to be spoken to you in syllables for you to understand.” Tobio narrowed his eyes at the taller male, frowning. “The humans don’t have a smell. Don’t you think that’s a bit odd?”

“I don’t know. They’re not Sulia, so why does it matter if they have a scent or not?”

Tsukishima glanced around the room. “ _I’d_ be worried about not being able to smell the thing I don’t want around the den. They’ll creep up on you and you won’t even realize it.”  


Listening to Tsukishima’s words made Tobio suddenly realize just how much he really did not like those two. Fuck the idea of not being able to smell when the threat was around – this was one of the worst disadvantages to have been dealt. He growled lowly. “Get the thing so we can get out of here.”

Tsukishima looked equally pissed, whether that was from being ordered around or because he despised this situation just as much as Tobio; it was hard to tell. Still, he scanned the room with the click of his tongue and spotted the black camera bag by the foot of Ennoshita’s bed. He marched forward and grabbed the strap with the tips of his fingers like it was a contaminated object. He slung in over his shoulder, shuddering at the feel of the weight on his body, and walked back over to Tobio. Tobio peeked down the hallway to make sure the coast was clear, and then motioned with his finger for Tsukishima to follow. They got about five paces when someone called out.

“Tobio!” 

The raven-haired alpha jumped in his skin. He whipped his head in the direction of the voice, catching a glimpse of Shouyou scrambling off their bed through the crack of their bedroom door. Tobio quickly shoved Tsukishima forward and motioned for him to leave just as Shouyou pulled their door wide open. 

“You totally disappeared after practice, I was looking for you!” Shouyou tugged on his mate’s shirt so the alpha was in closer proximity, their bodies touching.

“Hm? Oh…uh, sorry.”

Shouyou pouted. “Where’d you go?”

Tobio did not like lying to Shouyou. They were mates; they were supposed to be honest with each other. But if he told Shouyou he went to steal something from the humans with Tsukishima so he could throw it in the lake…Shouyou would be less than pleased. “I was uh…checking on the supply of meat in our cold storage. I’m just trying to figure out when we’ll need to go hunting again.” 

Shouyou hummed against his chest. “So boring. Spend time with me.”

Tobio glanced down the hall where Tsukishima was hidden not so discretely in the doorway of him and Yamaguchi’s room. The blonde alpha was glaring at him slightly. “Wasn’t I with you all day?” Tobio countered.

Shouyou huffed. “Agh, that’s not what I mean!” Shouyou gripped Tobio’s hands and slid them down to cup his butt. “When I say spend time with me, I’m talking about like this.” 

Tobio could’ve sworn he heard the faintest sounds of gagging come from further down the hall. He looked down at his mate, who was smiling coyly back at him. It really was tempting…and Tsukishima was an asshole. A violent cough from down the hall mixed with the words ‘don’t try it’, planted a frown on Tobio’s face. “Um…ten minutes?”

Shouyou’s expression slowly dropped. “Sorry?”

“Like as in can you give me ten minutes?” Tobio repeated.

Shouyou gave him a confused look. “Can’t it wait? Seriously Tobio, like I’m really horny right now.” He whined.

Between gripping Shouyou’s ass and having the omega whine about being horny – Tobio felt his resolve breaking by the second. Another violent coughing fit down the hall broke him from his stupor. Tobio got it – Tsukishima was pissed off, he knew that the raven was probably seconds from abandoning the mission in favor of participating in more carnal desires, but there was no way he was going to risk being the only one taking the blame if he got caught. They had gone into this together out of their mutual distrust of the humans, so if one backed out and the other got burned, the backlash that Tobio would get from Tsukishima would be worse than hell. 

“I promise it won’t be that long. I’ll come right back and we can do whatever.” 

Shouyou pouted. “Eight minutes.”

Tobio gave a resigned shrug. “Okay. Eight minutes.”

“Seven.”

“You’re pushing it.”

Shouyou leaned forward. _“Seven.”_ he enunciated.

Tobio nodded slowly, clearing his throat. “I’ll be back in seven minutes then.” 

“What if I said six–“ Tobio pushed Shouyou back into their room. 

“You said seven.” He shut the door before Shouyou could protest. Tsukishima was glaring at him from down the hall, and the intensity of his stare only burned brighter as Tobio approached him. 

“I’m going to throw up.”

Tobio scowled at Tsukishima. “I don’t know what your problem is.”

“I mean this; never do that in front of me again. I don’t want to know about the kinds of things you two do.” He rubbed a hand across his face. “I need to bleach my eyes or something.”

“I can leave right now if you want.”

Tsukishima scowled. “Don’t even think about it. If anyone finds out about this, I’m not going to be the only one held responsible.” 

“We’re going to get found out if we stand here for any longer.” 

Tsukishima grit his teeth and peeked into the gathering room. Tanaka was snoring on one of the couches, his shirt bunched up and his stomach exposed. He didn’t see anyone else, but heard voices echoing from the dining room. The pair tiptoed their way across the wood floor of the gathering room, stopping only once when Tanaka’s snores suddenly halted, then began again. Tsukishima glanced across the way to the dining room when he was near the door; it was quite crowded around the table. There was a group discussion going on with the two humans that Tsukishima couldn’t make out, but he didn’t care. They were probably teaching them things they didn’t need to know about. He felt himself frown.

Tsukishima gripped the door handle and showed himself out, with Tobio in tow. It was really hot out, like any mid-summer late afternoon. The sky was a nice painting of oranges and reds and pinks, all swirled together in a pastel melody. Tobio set off at a quick pace down the street, walking for a minute or two until he found a small dirt path forking off from the road and through a tangle of trees. The pair walked upon this new path through the shade of the trees, following the offbeat trail uphill until they came upon a clearing. There was a large, deep lake shimmering in the late-afternoon sun. Tsukishima stood at the bank of the lake, holding the strap of the camera case in his hand. He looked at the item in repulsion. 

“Toss it.” Tobio said. 

“I don’t need you to tell me that.” Tsukishima spun around to gain momentum and hurled the item in question as far as he could into the lake, the black bag and camera inside plummeting from the air until it fell with a heavy splash near the center of the lake, and sunk out of sight. Tsukishima felt confidence and pride at the sight, like it was some sort of personal victory for their people. He wanted those two to realize they weren’t welcome here, and he was going to do anything he could do drive them out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sighing ‘cause like, really Tsukki, Kags? Like, do you know how many shifts at Starbucks Ennoshita had to work to pay for that camera? 
> 
> Can you believe this is my own story and I’m being this sarcastic about it
> 
> ALSO PLATONIC BONDING BETWEEN HINATA AND YACHI YES (one day you will shake hands)
> 
> And I sense Yachi might have a small crush on a lovely lady…maybe?
> 
> Also, I may adore Haikyuu!! with every fiber of my being, but I can’t write about volleyball to save my life. Can you tell? Like I tried so hard to actually write them playing a game but I realized I can’t because I am so uneducated even though I know the manga/show teaches you things. Thank god this isn’t like the center of the story or I would suffer so bad…
> 
> And a little announcement! (This’ll be bad for people who don’t read notes lol) I’m taking a break for the holidays. So for the next two weeks I won’t be updating so I can relax and take some time off. Thanks for your support and patience!
> 
> (this is actually the first week I don’t have something to teach you in the notes about Sulia wow)


	7. Lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s okay! Don’t panic! I’m sure we’ll find it – you probably just left it somewhere around here and forgot about it.” Yachi placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “It’ll be fine. We could ask if someone’s seen it if you want?”
> 
> Ennoshita’s brows furrowed. “I guess.” He pressed his palms into his eyes, frowning. “I just really need to find it, Yachi. It took me a long time to be able to afford it and I really don’t want to lose it –“
> 
> “Relax. We’ll find it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to post this and get it out of my system even though it's kinda early (nah, think of it as a New Years Gift)...  
> I've been not writing for way too long and it makes me uncomfortable

It was gone. There yesterday, and gone today. 

Ennoshita had searched the room he shared with Yachi from top to bottom, checking every crevasse and hidden corner. But his camera was nowhere to be found. It was like it had disappeared from existence entirely. He was positively certain he had left practice yesterday with the camera in hand and made it back to his host’s household with the item. Ennoshita was utterly baffled as to where it could have gone.

This was a horrible way to start the study.

“Hey, are you okay?” Yachi asked her frazzled roommate as she toweled off her hair from her morning bath. “You seem kind of…scattered.”

Ennoshita shook his head. “No…no, no, no – I’m not okay. I can’t find my camera anywhere and I swear I brought it back here yesterday. No, I’m certain of that.”

“It’s just gone?”

“The bag totally disappeared. I always keep it in there.”

Yachi pursed her lips and looked around the room. “Did you leave it somewhere else around their house – er – den-place?”

Ennoshita shrugged his shoulders helplessly. “I don’t know – I mean, I don’t have any other options at this point.”

“It’s okay! Don’t panic! I’m sure we’ll find it – you probably just left it somewhere around here and forgot about it.” Yachi placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “It’ll be fine. We could ask if someone’s seen it if you want?”

Ennoshita’s brows furrowed. “I guess.” He pressed his palms into his eyes, frowning. “I just really need to find it, Yachi. It took me a long time to be able to afford it and I really don’t want to lose it –“

“Relax. We’ll find it.” Yachi said again. She patted him on the shoulder again, tugging on his arm to pull the dejected male out of the room. They walked into the gathering room, where Koushi and Yuu were both playing with their children and talking with each other on one of the long couches. The pair approached them.

“Um…excuse me.” Ennoshita began, drawing the attention of the two omegas. 

Koushi smiled warmly. “Something you need? You look a little worried.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry to bother you but, have either of you seen my camera?” Ennoshita asked. “I can’t find it anywhere.”

Both Koushi and Yuu exchanged confused looks. Then, realization seemed to dawn on the former. “Oh! Is that what that black bag was?”

“Yes! Have you seen it?”

Koushi hummed, lifting his son in the air and making him giggle. “Not since yesterday. I saw you come back with it and that was the last time I remember seeing it, if I can recall.”

Ennoshita sighed, feeling disappointed. He knew this already – he had the bag with him when he got back. This didn’t really help things at all. The problem was that somehow the bag had disappeared between the time he had gotten back and up until this morning. Someone had to know something about where it was.

“So it’s missing, huh?” Yuu asked. Ennoshita nodded. Yuu turned to Koushi. “Maybe we should ask Daichi. Get him to call a meeting together or start a search or something.”

“Oh…you don’t have to do that…”

Koushi laughed lightly. “We’d be bad hosts if we did nothing, though.” Koushi stood up, skillfully sitting Hotaru onto his hip. “I’ll be right back.” Koushi walked into down the hall for a few quick moments, returning shortly with Daichi behind him. 

“So your camera has gone missing?” Daichi asked Ennoshita, who nodded in reply and quickly explained the situation. “Hm. I don’t think something can just up and disappear. Someone here must know something.” At that, Daichi turned and whistled sharply through his teeth; it was a loud and piercing sound. The air stilled for a moment, and then there was great movement and noise as the sounds of feet approaching the gathering room drew closer. Everyone in the pack squished inside the room, their faces curious, wondering just what they had been called in for. Ennoshita and Yachi exchanged looks, feeling intrigued at this new aspect of pack life. “We have a little problem,” Daichi began, addressing the group.

“Problem?” Shouyou asked curiously.

“Don’t interrupt the pack leader.” Tanaka hissed. Tobio growled at him.

Daichi snapped at both of them. “No fighting! How am I supposed to hold a meeting with you acting up?” They backed down. Daichi sighed, before gesturing to Ennoshita. “Ennoshita-san’s camera has gone missing. Have any of you seen it since we returned yesterday?” Several negative answers rang out from the group. Then…

“I thought I saw Kageyama and Tsukishima leave the den with it yesterday.” Tanaka said suddenly. 

Everyone turned to the two young alphas. They both were stiff, expressionless. Daichi crossed his arms, frowning at them. “Well? Do either of you have it?”

“No,” they answered. 

Daichi frowned even more, his suspicion rising. “Would either of you happen to know where it is, then?” Silence. Daichi’s tone became hostile. “Answer me _now_.”

Kageyama cleared his throat. “It might be in a lake or something…” Shouyou looked up at him in shock. Yamaguchi did much the same with Tsukishima.

 _“WHAT?”_ They asked in unison, anger clearly evident on both omegas’ voices. 

Ennoshita’s face paled at the news. “My…camera…” He felt like crying. His camera was gone, ruined completely. Over ¥60,000, down the drain…

“YOU ASSHOLE! WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU THINKING?” Shouyou fumed, his small form shaking in anger. Tobio kept his head low as Shouyou gave him a scathing look. Tsukishima was much the same as Yamaguchi too, scolded him harshly. There was no retaliation though, no angry words thrown back or even a hint of anger – the two alphas simply accepted the fury and disapproval that their mated/courted held for them. Deep down, they seemed to understand that when their mate was this upset with them, that they were really in the wrong on this.

Daichi’s face darkened. The air around the room became stiff in a similar way to the anticipation just seconds before a torrential downpour. Ennoshita and Yachi were frightened enough by how much his aura and expression had changed, but something in the air must’ve been affecting the two alphas as well because they were quick to submit and bow their heads. “Both of you get your disrespectful selves out of this den and don’t you _dare_ come back until you have that camera. I don’t care how long it takes you – a day, a week, a month – you are forbidden from setting foot in this den until you return with it.” He shoved the two alphas towards the door. “Get out of here.” 

The two alphas showed themselves out, but Tobio was held back a second more in the entrance by his mate’s hand on his shoulder. “Don’t you dare take a month.” Shouyou’s voice was livid, but there was a hint of worry behind it. 

Tobio’s face lit up in recognition. “Shouyou, wait, this is not what I meant to do, I would never –“

Then the door slammed shut in his face. 

“Shit, shit, shit, shit…” Tobio paced around outside the den, his fingers digging painfully into his hair and scalp, but he didn’t care. An intense feeling of guilt had taken over his body. He didn’t mean to hurt Shouyou – why would he ever want that? He had meant to drive the humans out – not get himself kicked out and upset Shouyou in the process. Tsukishima was sitting by the side of the road. He didn’t feel any better, in fact, he was feeling remarkably anxious. He didn’t know whether this would have worse repercussions then being kicked out and getting yelled at; namely his courtship to Yamaguchi. Omegas were often known to break off engagements if their partner brought some kind of shame to either themselves or to the omega – and this incident would surely be considered something shameful. 

Tobio paced his way up to where Tsukishima sat. He was still uttering expletives under his breath as he approached the blonde alpha. “This is not okay; we have to find that thing fast. I can’t be gone long.”

Tsukishima eyed him. “I’m _sure_ you have plenty of plans to attend to.”

“Yes actually, I do.” Tobio said simply. He started up the street. Tsukishima watched him for a moment, curious, before he stood and followed after. They walked swiftly down the street until they came to the fork in the road and took the path the skirted off through the tangle of trees.

Tsukishima was silent for a moment more as they walked before he spoke. “It wouldn’t have to do with your mate getting all miffed at Tanaka’s pregnancy line, would it?” He laughed at the heavy glare Tobio sent his way. “You really are an open book.”

“Shut the fuck up.” Tobio growled, pushing a tree branch out of the way. “It’s none of your business.” The pair walked into the clearing and eyed the pristine expanse of lake. Unlike yesterday, there was no rush of adrenaline accompanied with the sight of it. Now it filled them with dread at the thought of the coming task. They stood at the water’s edge, the shear immensity of the lake spreading out before their eyes. “Where do you think it is?” Tobio asked, irritation creeping into his words.

“Could be anywhere. There’s a river that connects to this lake too, so, it could have flowed downriver too.” Tsukishima said, the monotone of his voice only adding to Tobio’s frustration.

“ _Downriver?_ Are you fucking kidding me? We have to check the entire fucking lake and if it’s not here check the goddam river and any of its branching paths?” Tobio’s voice rose with every word.

Tsukishima’s face looked tired, as though he had already completed all the tasks Tobio had just said. “I wouldn’t kid about something like that, you imbecile.” 

Tobio snarled, kicking off his shoes and shrugging off his shirt as well. He didn’t give a single glance back to Tsukishima before he started wading into the lake, muttering something like ‘fuck this shit’ under his breath. Tsukishima scowled from dry ground, kicking off his own shoes and pulling off his shirt, following after the raven-haired male. He too, muttered curses under his breath upon entering, already knowing they were going to be here for a long time.

* * *

The air was tense back at the den. The second Tsukishima and Tobio had been expelled from the den Ennoshita was bombarded with apologies from Shouyou and Yamaguchi. It was the same dialogue all day from the both of them; apologies, feelings of guilt, shame, and embarrassment, and a reaffirming that the two alphas who had committed the act against Ennoshita were actually not bad people. Ennoshita felt guilty constantly receiving apologies from them; after all, they didn’t do anything to him in the first place. Yet for some reason they still seemed to feel some need to take some responsibility for it – perhaps it was some different aspect of their culture that tied in with mates and bonds or something or other – Ennoshita wasn’t sure. He didn’t want them to apologize though, they hadn’t done anything wrong. They just laughed a little when he told them that. 

He even received a few remarks from a few others in the pack, particularly Daichi who expressed his shame and displeasure in the actions that the two alphas had taken. It seemed there was a great pride taken in the reputation of the pack, even if it was only kept amongst themselves, and any action done by a member of the pack to tarnish that reputation was a shameful thing to deal with. Ennoshita mused that regaining honor or favor with he and Yachi must have been the reason Daichi sent them off to find his camera. The leader of the pack didn’t want things going sour.

Of all the reactions Ennoshita had received from the pack, he had been more than a little surprised when Tanaka appeared from out of nowhere and slumped an arm over his shoulder, grinning furiously. Ennoshita honestly wasn’t sure how to react to such a move, so he sort of froze in place. 

“I bet you’re feeling pretty lucky right now, huh?”

Ennoshita threw Tanaka a confused look. “Um…not particularly…?” 

Tanaka raised his brows at him and poked his side. “Oh really? Even though I caught those two thieves for you?”

Ennoshita’s eye twitched slightly. _‘This guy is just begging for praise.’_ He smiled lightly. “Oh, right. Thanks for doing that.” 

Tanaka laughed loudly. “Of course! I’m watching your back, ya know. Can’t have our little human guests get pushed around now can we?” He slapped Ennoshita on the shoulder. “You’ll get your thingy back soon. I’m sure they’re probably rushing to find it anyway – after all, Tsukishima and Kageyama can’t really stand being around each other for very long.” 

“Is that right?”

Tanaka nodded. “Tsukishima is always looking to push Kageyama’s buttons. He’s hot-headed and gets so easily riled sometimes, so…not a good mix there.” He snorted, thinking of some old memories. 

Ennoshita thought a moment. “Why do you think they’d work together then?”

“To get your thing? Well um…hm.” Tanaka scratched his chin. “The only comparison I can think of is kind of like…volleyball. If they had a common goal, then they’d kind of have to work together, huh? They work as a team when we play on the court in hopes of winning, so I can’t see why it’s impossible to work together in other places if they wanted to achieve the same thing.”

An unsettled feeling grew in the pit of Ennoshita’s stomach. _A common goal._ What sort of common goal were they trying to achieve by ruining his camera? It certainly felt like a hearty ‘fuck you’ from what he could gather. That was reassuring. “W-what…what kind of goal?”

Tanaka laughed to break the tension. “Ahhh don’t think about it too much! Far as I know I could be completely wrong. Maybe they used it as a volleyball or something and Kageyama accidently set your thingy into the lake and they felt bad about telling you they lost it. I mean, he’s pretty dumb so I can see that happening…”

Ennoshita wrinkled his brows. “Neither sounds better…”

Tanaka scratched at the back of his neck awkwardly. “Well…at least you’ll get it back! I’m sure they’re working their asses of to get it back for you.” Tanaka slapped him on the back again, grinning widely.

Ennoshita wanted to say something, say how it was essentially a useless effort at this point and even if they came back with his camera it was just garbage anyway, but Tanaka slinked away before he could say a word. He supposed it didn’t matter – besides, he didn’t try to stop Daichi from having them go after it. Maybe in a way…he kind of wanted them to? Not for the sake of having a worthless item returned to him but more for the sake of karma.

Pushing thoughts of retribution out of his mind, Ennoshita shifted his position to the gathering room where Yachi currently resided. She was temporarily preoccupied with the large bookcase inside the room; glancing over the myriad of tomes resting upon its shelves. He greeted her, which drew her attention for a moment, before he plopped himself down on one of the comfortable couches to lay and mope about his loss for a bit. 

Yachi glanced at him again. She quirked her head. “You know, I’m a little surprised you didn’t tell Daichi-san that your camera won’t work anymore. You could’ve saved those two a lot of searching for nothing.” 

Ennoshita glanced at her from his lounging position on the couch. “I…don’t see why I would want to? They kind of deserve to go after something useless after totally sabotaging it on purpose like that.”

“So you…want to be cruel now?” Yachi asked.

“I’m not doing this to be cruel. They ruined my camera, Yachi. You would likely feel the same way if they tossed your laptop or sketchpad into the lake.” he said.

Yachi paused. She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know I mean, I’d be upset, but I’d hate to put someone through trouble.”

Ennoshita sighed. “You’re too nice sometimes.”

“I didn’t know that was possible.” she replied, skimming over the titles on the shelf. Her eyes fell on one in particular, titled _The Sulia: A History._ Her interest piqued immediately and she pulled the vermillion colored book off the shelf. “Hey Ennoshita,” He looked at her. “Want to do some reading to take your mind off things?” She held up the book in her hands.

He shrugged his shoulders. “There’s nothing better to do I guess.” So, Yachi plopped herself down next to her study partner and placed the book into her lap. The duo flipped open the textbook. Yachi ran her fingers over the well-worn pages; it had clearly seen better days. They were yellowed at the edges and crinkling, some of the paper corners folded to mark certain spots in the book. Skimming over long and detailed sections of text, her eyes fell on a section titled _‘The Great War’_. 

“Hey, look at this,” she placed a finger over the article. “This could be interesting to read about. Oh! And right here they have a journal account a Sulia made from during the war.”

Ennoshita eyed the section in question. “Let’s have a look.” They started reading the journaled account.

 

_“…They called us untamed, savage, and freak-bred spawn. In the eyes of humanity we were beasts that could not fathom civility, compassion, or the ways of honor. They observed our people from afar and drew false conclusions based off conjecture and misinterpretations. And with long-formed prejudices humanity held amongst their own kind about topics they felt immoral, these thoughts they held suddenly were applied against our people as well, even though we are a different kind and such things are the norm. But such a thought did not ever cross their minds._

_They sparked the first blow. It was a village, quite large, and home to several thousand unsuspecting Sulia. There wasn’t even time for anyone living inside to react. Like lightning, what was once a lively Sulia town became the location of a massacre. Word traveled quickly, however, and the rage that filled the hearts of our people and the thirst for vengeance upon those who had wronged us flowed fast through our veins. So we plunged ourselves into the chaos of war, not knowing that this would be a move that would nearly end the lives of all Sulia for eternity._

_Ten million strong and thoroughly outnumbered, it came as much of a surprise in the beginning how well we held our own. For the first three years of war we stunned humanity by pushing back will relentless force, using our peerless strength to carry the battle in our favor. We won skirmishes left and right and held the war in our hands, but as the years began to drag on, we tired. And so we slipped. Then everything crashed and burned in flaming cinders around us. The blows against us struck heavier and heavier each time, and our numbers dropped further and further each time. Those fighting in other areas across the world stopped sending messages. It was simply assumed that they had been wiped out. As year nine of the war came upon us all, us stragglers still fighting on the mainland here knew that we did not have enough people left to continue this fight. There were little more than ten thousand of us, hardly enough for a small force. Though we despise the notion of backing down from this fight, it would do us less honor to eradicate ourselves from the world by throwing our lives carelessly into a fight we cannot win._

_For the legacy of the Sulia, we must flee.”_

 

Yachi and Ennoshita kept their eyes trained on the inked words of the journal entry. For whatever reason, a feeling of uneasiness had sunken into their stomachs. They weren’t unfamiliar to the knowledge of the Great War and its consequences on the Sulia. It was a requirement in common core curriculum that the war be taught so such an event never happened again. But they never read things like this – documentation from a Sulia’s perspective. Everything had always been subjective, telling the simple facts or giving accounts from humanity’s side of the battle. Reading this…was such a different feeling.

“I’m not alone in feeling…I don’t know, off?” Ennoshita asked.

Yachi shook her head. “No, I do too. Like something’s eating at me. Guilt, maybe.”

“Hm.”

Yachi skimmed the pages of the textbook, and zeroed in on another section. “I think there’s more here. Look, this part covers what happened after the Sulia fled the mainland.” She flattened the worn pages of the book and pointed to the indented section of text. The students’ eyes scanned the words with intrigue.

 

_“No one had the courage to say it out loud, but I saw it in their eyes – fear. Fear of the possible, of what was chasing us so closely upon our heels. That’s why we ran, and didn’t think twice when we dove into the water. Cold. It bites back, you know. And it’s strong and fierce. It has arms that tug at your ankles and try to drag you down below the waves. I watched the ocean pull so many down to its depths that night. They thrashed for a good while – friends, allies, good Sulia kin – dipping below the raging water sometimes and coming back up every now and then to try and push forward again in desperation. Then their heads would be swallowed beneath the crash of a wave and they would not resurface again, and we would clench our jaws and move on, cursing our own helplessness but also not wishing to die the same death. The water is cold, so cold. It numbs the skin to the point that it’s like my legs and arms had disappeared, bitten away by the sea’s chill. And the darkness – you can’t see a thing beneath you – it’s this horrible inky blackness that swallows and surges and sucks you up. There’s just the moon, just the moon to guide us – keep us above water and keep us from losing hope._

_And when dawn broke, I had sight of one other of my kin, and that was it. I choked some sort of half cheer in his direction, and he coughed violently back to me. It was good enough. When the sun rose high in the sky, I was close to drowning. My head pounded in my skull and my eyes were glassy. I gave up on swimming and prepared to let the ocean take me when someone tugged on my dead arm and pulled me onto solid ground. I was gasping and someone pounded hard into my back, allowing me to cough up the water in my lungs. When I had a shaky breath within me again and my eyes were as clear as I could get them, I opened my eyes to a sight I never thought I would see. My kinfolk, sat upon beaches of sand, sobbing and soaking, and a grand tower of trees in the distance behind them.”_

 

“Jeez.” Ennoshita breathed. “The Sulia’s flee to escape the mainland ended up killing even more of their surviving population inadvertently. I mean, to escape the war with a little over ten thousand is bad enough, but they probably lost a whole lot more in that swim.”

Yachi bore a forlorn expression. “And can you even think about trying to live after that? Think about all the people that died. There were once ten million Sulia, Ennoshita. The war totally decimated their kind, slicing them down to only a few thousand. That’s…really scary. How can you rebuild a life after losing so much?”

“There’s no easy way.” 

The students startled. They hadn’t even noticed Koushi enter the room and slowly walk himself nearer to their spot on the couch. They froze, uncertain of what to say or what to do. Was this really an acceptable topic of discussion to have with a Sulia?

Koushi took a seat on one of the cushioned recliners next to the couch the two students occupied, and smiled at them gently. “It’s okay. Don’t feel like you need to walk on eggshells around me. I don’t carry a grudge against you for what happened in the past. It was a truly horrible thing, no doubt, and it hurt my people in so many ways – that’s undebatable. But I don’t blame future generations for the actions of their ancestors. So long as you see where they were at fault, I have no issue with you.” The students nodded. Koushi sent them another reassuring smile. “And after all, I did tell you I’d teach you anything you’d like to know. This topic isn’t excluded from that.”

The duo exchanged looks. Ennoshita spoke up. “W-Well, we’d like to learn anything you have to teach us. We don’t really know anything about your history at all.”

“I’ll be glad to. Now let’s see…” Koushi sighed heavily. “Well after the arrival, there was a panic as soon as a head count was done. I believe that they were just barely scraping 3,000 people total at the time. A large number of those who survived were alphas, and if you know anything about our dynamics, an alpha can’t carry a child. That there placed another huge blow in our ability to rebuild our numbers. There was too much of a disparity between sires and carriers. There were a good number of surviving betas and that did help some. But, the surviving minority were omegas. There were so, so few. Omegas are more likely to carry children to term and birth without complications, and they have a much higher chance of becoming impregnated. With so few, it wounded repopulation efforts. There were also some unsightly side effects due to having so few omegas. They became so sought after that fights often broke out over who should get an omega, and they ended up being treated like property.” Koushi frowned. “It’s not a happy moment in history.

In connection with that, there were also effects from the war that began to weigh on everyone. As Sulia started to mate, there were many mental and emotional traumas that festered inside them. Most, if not nearly all, had lost their mates and any children they might have had in the war. Living without one’s mate is a painful enough experience that burdens the spirit and can even lead to the death of the affected Sulia in certain cases. Those who had survived had to carry that burden, and also face the task of mating again with someone else – something many found difficult to do. There are actually reports that some actually died from anguish or committed suicide because they refused to abandon the bond they had with their deceased mate.”

Yachi knit her brows in sympathy. “Oh. I’m so sorry. That’s really sad.”

Koushi gave her an empathetic look. “We lived that way for a long time. The cruel treatment of omegas went on for several hundred years, and, with their sacrifice, we actually did see a large spike in our population. The largest since The Great War. But it wouldn’t last for too long because no one can live that way without going mad with rage. That rage is what sparked a war amongst our own people. We call it The Omegan War. There was an omegan uprising, a time when they revolted against their repressors and abusers and fought back to be free, equal individuals in this society. No one seemed to think omegas were strong enough to win, they didn’t take them seriously enough, and that was their downfall in the end. Omegas were proud and victorious, and proved themselves to be strong, and earned their place as equals in this society.”

Ennoshita looked at Koushi in awe. “I never knew you had your own war.”

“Well, it would be kind of hard to know, what with the separation from the mainland and all that.” Koushi chuckled slightly. “We haven’t had a war since, but, that was what really hurt us. It knocked us almost right back down to where we started when we got here. But I say it was absolutely worth it. You’ll find most agree.”

Ennoshita looked deep in thought. Learning more about the Sulia’s history was a bit of an eye opener. He wished he had known more about their side of the story before coming here, but that was kind of impossible. The point of this trip was to learn about that story. “Hearing this, I feel like I understand how those two feel a little bit more.” Ennoshita said. “They associate all of these things with us and I suppose, there’s nothing to blame for that. It’s hard to forget.”

Koushi observed Ennoshita knowingly. “It’s very honorable of you to understand their side of things. I think in a lot of ways, Kageyama and Tsukishima fear you two – of what they think you two are capable of. That fear drives their actions. I think more than anything they want to keep everyone in this den safe, and they see you as the obstacle threatening that safety.”

“We aren’t like the depictions from a thousand years ago!” Yachi defended. She shirked slightly when both pairs of eyes turned on her. “P-People were ignorant back then, they didn’t want to understand anything. Still today I think there may be some ignorance b-but…it’s because we don’t know anything about you! The difference is that now we want to know.” Yachi fidgeted in her seat. “And I can’t even imagine hurting someone…it’s so hard for me to believe that people are capable of inflicting so much pain.”

Koushi allowed a soft smile to grace his features. “Tsukishima and Kageyama don’t know that though. You need to prove that in order to gain their trust.”

Ennoshita and Yachi exchanged looks. How they would gain the trust of the two alphas, they had no idea. Because as things were going so far, both men clearly wanted nothing to do with them, and didn’t seem to have any intentions of changing that mindset anytime soon. 

* * *

Four days passed and there was no luck in their search of the lake. Tsukishima and Tobio had pretty much combed the entire body of water, with much difficulty and several breaks in between, for there was only so much diving and holding of your breath you could do before you felt like you were drowning. At this point it was decided that the item had flowed downriver. Just the thought of that was enough to tire their already fatigued bodies. 

The pair were sort of camping out along the side of the river, at the point where it met the lake. The river was about waist-high and relatively calm about this part, but could get a bit rough and deeper further up. Tsukishima had fashioned a makeshift spear out of a carved stick, and he was using it to attempt to catch them some fish to cook up for a meal. Tobio was trying to start a fire, with some success. Neither had spoken to each other since they had exited the lake, feeling wet, tired, angry, and hopeless. That was probably a good thing they were keeping their distance, they’d likely just yell in each other’s faces or get in a physical fight at this point. Their irritation over this situation and the fact that they were having so little luck was eating at them. It came out over dinner.

“This is taking too long.” Tobio said. 

Tsukishima eyed him from over the fire, chewing on his meal. “And do you have any suggestions to make it go faster?”

Tobio opened his mouth, then closed it, and opened it again saying, “I don’t know just –“

“Then don’t complain.” Tsukishima interrupted and took another bite. Tobio glared at him, mumbling something offensive underneath his breath. Tsukishima glanced at him again. He sighed in resignation. “Listen, I get a good idea of what you’re planning to do. Neither of you are exactly subtle. And I’m not going to pretend to be your friend on this, and I’m not going to pretend to care. Because I'm not your friend, and I don't care either way. But I’m at least going to take partial responsibility for this. I have enough maturity to do that.” He paused. “How long?”

Tobio scrutinized the alpha from across the fire. “…The end of the month.” he answered after a few moments.

“So that’s why.”

Tobio curled his lip. “I thought you said it was obvious!”

“No, it is.” Tsukishima replied with an air of coolness. “I just wasn’t sure of the exact timeframe you had. I figured it was soon since you’re so antsy all the time.”

Tobio let out a derisive snort. “Don’t try to act like a fucking therapist. You’re no better.”

Tsukishima narrowed his eyes at the raven. “Tch.”

“You’re just not going to say anything then?”

“Why should I? I don’t owe _you_ any explanation, _King_.” Tsukishima bit. 

Tobio snarled at him, standing up and stepping toward the blonde alpha. “Don’t take your anger out on me. You know damn well I’m not like that anymore.” 

Tsukishima glared at him, but stayed silent. There was an uneasy measure of silence that passed as the two alphas stared each other down, almost daring each other to say something. Tobio took his seat again after a moment, seeming to calm down. But the silence remained. The only sounds were the occasional chirp of crickets in the distance and the slow crackle of the fire between them.

“I don’t know what to do with him.” 

Tsukishima’s sudden, near silent words drew Tobio’s eyes from his meal. “Who?” he tried, not really expecting a real answer. 

“For once will you abandon your stupidity and use your brain.” 

“You were being ambiguous.”

“I’m surprised you even know what that means.” Tsukishima snorted. 

There was a glare sent Tsukishima’s way. “Talk about what you were going to talk about instead of focusing on my vocabulary,” Tobio grumbled.

Tsukishima sighed in resignation. He seemed to have a temporary moment of contemplation as to whether or not proceeding forward with this discussion was a good idea, and despite everything in his mind and his nature, he still found himself reaching out to the one person he never thought it was possible to have a thoughtful conversation with. 

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to be a mate. Frankly, I don’t even know what that means anymore.” There was a pause. “I always looked up to my brother. I wanted to be just like him, do the things he did, have the life he had. To me, he always found success – whether in his career or with his mate. He always seemed happy.” Tsukishima frowned. “It was all a lie, though. Both of them were hiding the truth beneath fake smiles and feigned affection.” Tobio was silent. “My brother and his mate fought all the time. The way they acted in front of me and my parents weren’t how things really were between them. The truth was that they were falling apart at the seams. I didn’t learn until later the reason why, when I accidentally walked in on them screaming at each other. Apparently, one of them had broken their bond, struck out, and was seeing someone else behind the other’s back. No matter how much I felt for my brother, I still couldn’t get over the way he lied to me; to everyone. And now I see they way mates act around each other and I can’t see what’s real and what’s not anymore.” 

Tobio eyed him silently. “Do you think all mates fake their affection or something?”

“I really don’t know anymore.”

Tobio frowned. “I don’t know whether to feel insulted by that or whether to feel bad for your way of thinking.” He paused, thinking a moment. Tobio shot Tsukishima an accusing look. “Are you faking it with Yamaguchi?”

“No.” 

“Then if you know that’s real between you two, why are you so afraid?”

And for once in his life, Tsukishima Kei did not have an answer.

* * *

Once a week had gone by and there was still no sign of Tsukishima and Tobio’s return, things in the den had clearly seemed to have taken a change. It didn’t appear everywhere, but in some places, it was evidently noticeable. Shouyou still smiled, but he was far, far less talkative than usual, and did not approach either Yachi or Ennoshita with the same vigor as he had when they first arrived. Yamaguchi seemed lost in his own thoughts most of the time, and though he hadn’t been the most talkative since Yachi and Ennoshita had come, it seemed to dwindle moreso each day. Even despite these things, the two often expressed their constant disapproval of what had happened, ands still apologized for the incident – though there seemed to be a sort of longing for the two alphas to return even though on the surface they tried to convince others they truly were angry and upset. Yachi and Ennoshita weren’t the only ones who noticed the change either. 

“So how did everyone here meet?” The question was asked one afternoon during a gathering that Koushi titled ‘omega bonding time’. He had invited Yachi and Ennoshita to participate as well, stating that ‘it would be a good learning experience’ or something along those lines. So that was how they ended up snuggled in the gathering room along with Yamaguchi, Shouyou, Koushi, Yuu, and both of their children. It was actually pretty cozy.

“Do you mean the pack?” Koushi asked. Ennoshita nodded. “I suppose it was school really. That’s how I met Daichi and Asahi originally.” 

“You should say it was through the club though,” Yuu corrected. “That’s really where we all came together.”

“True. For the rest of us, we met through the volleyball club.” Koushi said. “We grew strong together and formed very deep bonds as a team and as friends. Some of us did find our mates through the club as well and actually that was how the pack got started later on, as it only seemed logical to keep everyone together. We would be stronger together and could look out for each other that way. Packs are really for protection, hunting, and raising young together with the help of everyone. At the time we decided to create our own pack, it just made perfect sense because both Yuu and I had mated already, and Yamaguchi and Shouyou were already being courted by their alphas.”

Yachi looked at Shouyou and Yamaguchi. “What’s um, what’s courting exactly? How is it different from mating…“ She became flustered. “ _I MEAN_ – I g-get how mating is a big step and stuff like I don’t need an explanation on the mating process or anything thank you –“

“It’s okay!” Shouyou said, laughing. “I guess the best way to put it is it’s kind of like you’re testing the waters to see if you want to be mates with the person who’s courting you. And there’s lots ways to court people too! You can either just ask straightforward, or be more _subtle_ about it.”

“Subtle?”

Koushi spoke in reply. “He means things like scenting your intended, having more intimate physical contact with them, acting protective, giving gifts, spending more time with them, and other things of that nature.”

“Shouyou, didn’t your mate go really traditional when he asked to court you?” Yuu asked, nudging Shouyou in the leg. 

Koushi’s eyes lit up. “That’s right! I remember that! He gave you a weaving!”

Shouyou turned red. “Ah…well, yeah…”

Yachi’s brows scrunched up in confusion. “A weaving? Is there a special significance to that?”

Koushi nodded, propping his son up in his lap. “It’s a pretty traditional way to court someone. What typically happens is one person crafts a handmade weaving and incorporates certain patterns into the design that are symbolic of certain things they want their relationship to have, like love, happiness, family, success, devotion, etc. Receiving one is the most obvious way of stating to someone that you want to court them, besides saying it out loud. It takes a lot of dedication to make one.” Koushi looked at the Shouyou, who was blushing under all the attention. “If it’s not too personal, would you mind sharing it with these two?”

“Ah, it’s okay! I don’t mind at all!” Shouyou said, jumping from his seat to retrieve the item. He came back a few moments later with the circular shape in hand, and sat back down on the couch next to Yachi and Ennoshita and held it up to show them. It was pretty unevenly woven in most areas, a little patchy in others, and somewhat asymmetrical overall. Yachi supposed the best word for the weaving would be…charming. It was charming in its imperfectness. It was an asymmetrical circle of patterns that all held different meanings, and all won someone’s heart in the end. Shouyou held the weaving with gentle care. “Tobio told me later that this took him like, a week to make. He had apparently been trying to court me for months but I wasn’t really picking up on it…” 

“He’s oblivious.” Yuu said to Yachi and Ennoshita, chuckling. “That’s what he’s trying to say.”

Shouyou didn’t seem to hear the older omega’s words. He had a distant look in his eyes as he traced his thumbs over the patterns in the weaving. His mind seemed preoccupied, troubled, perhaps. 

“Shouyou?” Koushi began, “You alright?”

The orangette stirred. “Hm? Oh…” Shouyou made an attempt at smiling. “I’m fine, really! Just looking at this made me think about some things is all. I’m okay though!”

Koushi eyed the smaller omega with a sort of perceptive knowing, pursing his lips slightly while letting out a small hum in reply that showed he wasn’t exactly convinced, but also wouldn’t press Shouyou. He veered to switch the subject. “Mm, you know – having you bring up courtship reminded me of mine.”

Shouyou livened slightly. “I’ve never actually heard about your and Daichi’s courtship.”

“Well…Daichi _thought_ he was being inconspicuous. But it was pretty obvious what he was trying to do when I started finding his scent on all my stuff.” Koushi smirked. “I let him chase after me for a while though. It was fun watching him get all flustered trying to get my attention.” 

“Savage.” Yuu remarked with an amused expression.

“You’re no better!” Koushi replied, nudging the other omega in the leg. “I believe it was you who kept teasing Asahi about finding a mate even though you knew he was trying to ask you about it.”

“He’s so cute when he’s shy though.”

Shouyou nudged Yamaguchi on the shoulder. “What about you Tadashi? You haven’t shared yet! Tell everyone how you got courted!”

Yamaguchi flushed. “I-It’s not that exciting really. He took me out for lunch one day and then just…sorta…asked me…”

Shouyou grinned. “It’s always special when you get courted, no matter how it happens.”

Thinking a moment, Ennoshita perked up. “I could show you something from our culture that kind of resembles your courtship and mating bonds.” 

Several heads turned. “Oh?”

His cheeks flared red. “W-well, I have a video from when my dad proposed to my mom on my laptop and some footage from their wedding too. I’ve kind of always been into movie making so it was something I put together for their anniversary…”

“Aw, that’s really sweet!” Yachi cooed.

Yuu scratched his head. “It sounds neat – though I’m not really sure what this ‘video’ thing is you’re talking about.”

“I’d like to see it.” Yamaguchi said. The others hummed in agreement.

Ennoshita perked up. “Yeah absolutely! I’ll go grab my laptop – just wait one sec!” He maneuvered himself from his seat and jogged down the hall and into the guest room. He shuffled over to his backpack, unzipped it, and tugged it open. His fingers loosely dug around inside for his silver laptop, but froze after mere seconds of entering the bag. They traced along the curved, circular lines of an object, pressed across buttons and felt across the strap of something. Ennoshita didn’t know whether the shiver that ran down his spine was from excitement or dread because he knew exactly what this item was. His hand wrapped around it, pulling it from his bag. As it was bathed in the light of the room, there was no doubt about what it was.

A camera.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I’m back from my break with a nice, long chapter for you~
> 
> (seriously this is like 7.5k destroy me)
> 
> I also would like to congratulate one user, @emeraldgaze, for being right on the money with their prediction about their hopes for the whole camera debacle! YAY! I can't actually like give you any prize except to say I'm proud of you lol
> 
> Thank you for all who read, leave kudos, and leave me comments! And most of all, thanks for sticking with me! <3


	8. It's About Damn Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima splashed around in frustration. This was useless. It was totally useless. The bag could be anywhere at this point. How was this even fair? Daichi was relentless with his punishments, there wasn’t a doubt about that. But what were they supposed to do, check the entire river network across the island? That’s positively ludicrous. And what happens if they _couldn’t_ find it? Were they just never allowed back?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for some sexual harassment.

Ennoshita wasn’t sure how to handle this. How in the world did his camera end up with his laptop? More importantly, _how_ was it even here in the first place? Ennoshita thought he had put it back in his camera bag when they got back…at least…he was pretty sure. 

Now all of this was making him question everything.

Well, the camera bag was gone. Which obviously meant Tobio and Tsukishima thought the camera was in there too. And Ennoshita really did not think they were doing this as a prank, no, they had gotten in far too much trouble and said nothing to Daichi about it being a joke. Had someone else been through his things? 

“You…have it?” Daichi inquired. Ennoshita nodded meekly, holding up the item in question. “How did…I thought you said it went missing?”

“I thought so too!” Ennoshita said, confusion stamped upon his features. “I don’t know how it’s still here! The bag was gone and I had put it in there when we came back from practice the day before I realized it was gone, so I just assumed it was gone along with it. I don’t know how it’s still here!”

Daichi cocked his head to the side a little, also clearly baffled by the situation. Ennoshita thanked all that was good in this world that the pack leader didn’t think he had lied about the whole thing and wasn’t positively pissed off at him. “Then why would it still be here? Did someone else tamper with it before the bag was stolen?”

“I haven’t a clue.”

“Um…Daichi…”

Daichi regarded the new voice to the conversation: Yamaguchi. The omega seemed somewhat timid, perhaps almost reluctant to speak. “Something you need?”

Yamaguchi looked back and forth between Daichi and Ennoshita with a struggling expression. “I just…I…” Then he cracked. “I-I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I overheard you talking to Tsukki and…I got curious about your camera. I just wanted to look at it up close a bit but…the front part moved and made a sound and freaked me out, so I dropped it in a bag on the floor. I-It was wrong of me, and I know I should of asked, I’m really, really sorry! I shouldn’t have snooped and touched things that weren’t mine without permission! I’m sorry!” Yamaguchi bowed deeply, guilt wracking his visage. 

Ennoshita knit his brows and smiled lightly. “It’s okay; it’s not the end of the world! Your curiosity probably actually saved my camera, to be frank. And I’m open to showing you my things anytime, just please ask!”

“Right! Again, I’m really sorry…”

Daichi held a contemplative expression. “Certainly there was _something_ in the bag then? It must’ve had some weight to it.”

Ennoshita thought a moment. “Well…it probably would have been just an extra interchangeable lens for my camera. It’s…not as bad as losing my camera thankfully. It doesn’t cost nearly as much to replace. There was probably an SD card or two in there as well, but they were empty. I bought new ones for the trip.” 

Daichi hummed. “Well, it’s been a tasteful turn of events I suppose. At least there isn’t as much damage done to you in the end. Still, I do apologize for the loss.”

Ennoshita shook his head. “It’s not as bad as it could’ve been.” He paused, feeling conflicted. Now that he knew his camera was fine, those two were really out there for nothing much at all and for who knows how long until they found his case. “What’ll happen to Tsukishima and Kageyama-kun?”

“We’ll wait until they come back with your bag. No reason to go out searching for them.”

“Oh, really?”

Daichi nodded. “Of course not. They targeted something of yours specifically with the intent to dispose of it. Even if your camera is fine now, that doesn’t mean that rids their bad intentions. They need to learn a lesson, and if we simply told them to stop now, they wouldn’t learn much of anything. I don’t tolerate disrespectful behavior.”

Ennoshita didn’t say anything after that. He fully understood where Daichi was coming from, but he still felt just a little bit guilty. It was weird saying that when those two had pretty much put themselves where they were on their own. (Was he turning into Yachi?) But maybe it wasn’t really guilt that was eating at him. Maybe he was afraid. Maybe he was afraid of what Tobio and Tsukishima would think when they got back and they found out exactly what they had been working for. Would Tobio and Tsukishima be angry if they found out? Did these people even know electronics broke when placed in water? Would they notice or care if he still had a working camera once he got his bag back? The more he thought about it the more he kind of wanted to call it off. He really had no idea how those two would react.

After hearing about the situation, Tanaka had actually offered to check the lake and see if they were down there for him, which Ennoshita thought was actually really nice. When the alpha came back later that day, he reported that he didn’t see them anywhere around the lake, though he found the remnants of a stomped out campfire at the juncture of the river. He mused that they had probably gone upstream to search for it, and assumed that the bag wasn’t in the lake anymore. That information did little to ease Ennoshita’s quiet feelings of guilt.

And as more days passed he grew more and more uneasy. What made everything worse was watching Shouyou and Yamaguchi, the way they glanced towards the door every now and then in hopes that Tobio and Tsukishima would walk through at that moment, or how they seemed to participate in conversation less and less and seemed worried and caught in their own thoughts more and more. Ennoshita grew to hate going to sleep at night, because it made his heart clench in his chest seeing both omegas head off to bed alone. It was even more distressing being right next to Shouyou’s room where the sound sometimes leaked through the walls, and both Ennoshita and Yachi had sworn they had heard crying coming from the other side of the wall some nights. 

Nothing around him eased the guilt he felt – the guilt that he was the one who had caused this entire place to go into upheaval and made alphas angry and forced them out of their own home and caused omegas to go to bed alone crying at night with no one to comfort them. 

It hurt.

* * *

Two weeks. Two weeks since they had been kicked out of the den. 

There had been no changes. The bag had still not been found, quite obviously. The two alphas had developed a sort of routine at this point now, being so familiar with the task of scout-and-retrieve. They woke at early dawn, found something to fill their bellies with – be it fruit, fish, fowl – it didn’t matter. Then it was time to get to work. Thankfully it was summer so they never had to worry about the water being cold, but they did have to worry about it being too deep and too rough. They would split up, one of them taking different spots of river to search, whether that be by searching further ahead, searching a different vein of river, or spreading out amongst a wider stretch – they planned as they went. They might take a break at some point depending upon how tired they got, find lunch, and then start up again until the sun began to set. That was when they called it a day. Then it was a matter of finding one final meal before conking out for the night only to repeat the entire thing again the next day. 

Tsukishima trudged down a particularly violent path of river. He wasn’t even sure what part of the island they were on at this point, they had walked so far. It was somewhat rocky and the water flowed much too fast. He had to walk with slow, steady feet and a wary eye lest he lost his footing to the rapids. It didn’t help that about an hour ago he had slipped and fallen amongst the crazed rush of water and had managed to lose his glasses. Now everything looked blurry and that wasn’t really helping the situation.

It was a black bag. That should at least be easy enough to spot. But it really wasn’t.

Tsukishima grit his teeth. He was sick of being tired and wet and miserable. He wasn’t even sure if splitting up with Tobio had made this easier or harder. At least they weren’t pissing each other off but now he had one less set of eyes over here, and even though he did not want to admit it, he kind of needed them right now. It would go faster split up though. Tobio could cover another section of river and Tsukishima could focus on this part here. They’d comb through this a lot quicker that way. Even if he could hardly see a damn thing. 

It was definitely better Tobio wasn’t around, now that Tsukishima thought a bit harder about it. The other alpha had been extremely antsy lately – said it was something to do with his bond. Tobio had muttered something a few days ago about feeling distress through the bond. That was something special about mates; the bonds allowed them very intimate emotional connections with their mated, so much so that certain strong emotions could be felt through the ties of the bond. So, Tobio’s concern was valid. Still, Tsukishima didn’t want to deal with all that.

Tsukishima splashed around in frustration. This was useless. It was totally useless. The bag could be anywhere at this point. How was this even fair? Daichi was relentless with his punishments, there wasn’t a doubt about that. But what were they supposed to do, check the entire river network across the island? That’s positively ludicrous. And what happens if they _couldn’t_ find it? Were they just never allowed back? Or would they have to wait until the humans left? Tsukishima let out a huff. Daichi wouldn’t really drag it out that long would he? Koushi probably wouldn’t let him.

The sun was setting. This was right about the time when the pair called it quits for the day because it was far too dangerous to search the rapids when night had fallen and they _really_ couldn’t see anything. Tsukishima trudged up to the bank of the river and shook himself off like a wet dog. He tried looking downstream through squinted eyes to see if Tobio had started back down to meet up with him, but couldn’t make anything out. Tsukishima pushed the thought to the back of his mind; the idiot was probably running late or something. 

He focused on gathering the supplies necessary for tonight’s fire. He walked off into the trees and started scrounging the forest floor, gathering some dry leaves and dead grass to use as tinder. He found plenty of twigs to use a kindling, and a broken log that was likely a part from some fallen tree to help build the shape. He brought all the items back to a suitable spot to set up for the night and started work on the fire, placing some stones in a circle to help insulate the fire. Tsukishima piled the kindling loosely inside the pit and placed the tinder on top of it. He broke long piece of wood off from the log and carved a groove into it with a stone, taking a nearby stick to use as a spindle. He rubbed the tip up and down the groove to try and get some embers to catch – but it wasn’t exactly easy work. Tsukishima didn’t know how long he sat there just furiously rubbing and trying to get something to catch, until finally there was a little glow. He guided the ember into his nest of tinder and kindling and started blowing, coaxing the fire to life. Once he had gotten it roaring, he finally took a moment to rest. 

Tobio still hadn’t returned. 

Tsukishima knit his brows. “Where the hell is that idiot?” he muttered to himself. He wasn’t exactly worried per se, moreso confused as to what was taking the other alpha so long. Perhaps he had gotten lost. That wasn’t exactly hard to do up here where the area was unfamiliar. He might have taken a piss out in the woods and couldn’t find his way back. Tsukishima snickered. He could see that. 

…Or maybe something actually _had_ happened. Maybe he had gotten injured in the rapids. Tsukishima frowned at that thought. If somehow Tobio had gotten himself injured, he could put himself in an extremely dangerous situation. He’d be more likely to drown out there if he couldn’t walk properly on his own. It was unsettling to think about. 

The moment the thought entered his mind it wouldn’t leave. Tsukishima didn’t know whether he should get up and go looking for him or what…? If something was wrong, then Tobio would need help. And Tsukishima didn’t want to imagine if things were worse than just an injury. He wouldn’t want to break that kind of news to Tobio’s mate; he could only imagine what that must feel like – having your bond forcibly severed so suddenly like that. He’d only scratched the surface of what it could feel like to be so close to someone with Tadashi, and being mates with someone brings you even closer. It’s the deepest, most emotional connection a Sulia can form, and one that brings perceptive knowledge, understanding, and love for someone so wholly and so completely. What sort of agony would it be to lose that?

Tsukishima stood abruptly. It seemed his body had made up his mind for him, as he started moving mechanically towards the river again. He trailed alongside it and attempted to make out objects with his blurry vision. It was getting darker now, no longer the same cool blend of purples and blues and pinks as the sun lowered from the sky. It was a dark spread of navy and black. That didn’t do much to help his vision. He didn’t want to walk too far from the fire, but at the same time he wouldn’t want to leave a fellow pack mate in danger. Tsukishima trudged on for another few minutes or so, still not seeing anything. Then, there was this sloshing sound that wasn’t just the normal beat of water against the rocks. He paused and caught glimpse of a figure moving towards him. And they were yelling like an idiot.

“Oi! Shittyshima!” Tobio was thrashing through the water as he bounded towards him with as much speed as he could. Tsukishima grimaced. Well clearly he was fucking fine on his own. Tobio halted his movements and gave the blonde a strange look. “Where are your glasses?"

Tsukishima pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's not important. What took you so long?"

"Oh, right! I _found_ the fucking thing! We can go back now!” Tobio raised the little black camera bag up as he spoke and waved it around in front of Tsukishima’s face as he emerged from the water, stumbling a bit, and onto the riverbank. It was sopping wet and covered in some dripping mossy stuff, but otherwise seemed fine. 

Tsukishima frowned and pushed the other away. “Don’t shove that in my face. Where was it?”

“In the river. Moron.”

Tsukishima deadpanned. “Wow, all this time I thought it we were going to find it up in the fucking sky. Of course it was it the river you idiot! _Where_ in the river?”

Tobio scowled at him. “It was caught under some tree roots up the way. I spent like ten minutes trying to wrench it out. It was a pain in the ass with water pummeling me in the face every two seconds.” Tobio walked past him. “Now let’s go. Daichi will let us back in the den now so I’m not wasting any more time chatting with you.” He started walking along the riverbank in the opposite direction he had come from – in the way that they had worked their way up from. 

Tsukishima growled under his breath. Before following after the other alpha, he trudged over to the fire he had prepared previously and stomped it out. Looks like all that work he had put into preparing it had gone to waste. But he much preferred being back home then being out here. He was going back; he had no reason to get pissed about building something they didn’t need anyway. As the last embers were stomped out, he caught up with Tobio. 

* * *

“Daichi, mind doing me a favor?” 

Daichi slipped into bed next to his mate. “What do you need?”

Koushi grimaced and placed his feet onto Daichi’s lap. “My feet hurt.” 

“I know the drill.” Daichi sighed, and rubbed his thumbs across the soles of his mate’s feet. “Ever since Hotaru it seems I’ll always be on pampering duty, huh?”

“Considering _you_ are the reason I’m pregnant in the first place, you’re also in charge of easing my discomfort and doing whatever I want.” Koushi said, his hand subconsciously coming to rest on his growing stomach. “It’s in the contract, Dai.”

“There’s a contract that comes with being pregnant?”

Koushi shrugged. “Not really, but this kind of thing goes without saying.”

Daichi chuckled lightly. “You’re right, you’re right.” He placed a light kiss on his mate’s skin. “You know I don’t mind though. You deserve to be pampered.”

“You’re such a sap.” 

A pounding on the front door stirred the two from their conversation. It was so loud that it echoed throughout the entire den, startling many. Daichi rose from his lounging position in bed with Koushi. They exchanged looks; it was pretty late at night, an odd hour to have a visitor. Though they had a suspicion as to who it was, Daichi still didn’t want to take any chances and asked Koushi to stay in bed while he answered the door. The floor panels creaked as he walked down the hall and into the gathering room then up to the door, while another incessant knock thundered throughout the den. Behind him Daichi could hear some of the others creeping out from their rooms to investigate the source of the noise. He opened the door.

Tsukishima and Tobio stood on the other side, their skin and clothes still damp. Tobio held the camera bag in hand, even presenting it higher for Daichi to see from the soft glow emanating from the gathering room. Daichi pursed his lips, eyeing the pair, before he sighed and opened the door wider. “A deal is a deal.” 

The two alphas tumbled inside, looking worn and tired. From the edge of the gathering room Ennoshita and Yachi eyed them warily, neither one too sure of how to react. They had gotten (what the alphas had assumed was) his ‘camera’ back, which was a bit surprising on Ennoshita’s end because he really got the vibe that those two hated his guts. Maybe Yachi’s guts too, but right now he felt it was a bit of a personal vendetta. Probably wasn’t but still. 

Ennoshita froze when Tobio locked eyes with him. His body locked up even more when the alpha started walking _towards_ him. He didn’t know whether his lungs were still working when Tobio stopped, his shoes making a **_*schlop*_** sound on the floor, right in front of him. They stared at each other a moment, before something cold and wet and kind of…mushy…was shoved into Ennoshita’s arms.

“I believe this is yours,” was all Tobio said to him, blank face and all, before he turned away and shuffled past him. Tsukishima just sort of glared at him from a distance. 

Ennoshita looked at the sopping wet camera bag and over at the blonde alpha, whose hair was still dripping with moisture. His mouth spoke before his head caught up with it. “A-Ah this wasn’t –“

“ _Wasn’t_ what?” Tsukishima spat, cutting off the other’s words. “What you wanted?”

“No that’s not what I’m saying I –“ Ennoshita tried to think of the right thing to say. Nothing would change the end outcome, now would it? “T-This wasn’t…what you tried to get rid of.”

Tsukishima narrowed his eyes. “Excuse me?”

Ennoshita paled. “Um…never mind.”

“No, no, no, keep talking.” Tsukishima walked up closer, towering over a pallid Ennoshita with his height. His voice sent cold shivers down the student’s spine. “I want to hear it. _Every. Word._ ” 

Ennoshita swallowed heavily. “I had it…still.” He replied meekly in a voice so quiet one had to strain to hear what it said. “You never threw my camera…in the lake. It’s been here…”

Tsukishima stood quiet over him, a shadow covering his eyes. There was a quiet tension buzzing in the air, thick and murky. Tsukishima started slowly, a muted anger rising in the timbre of his voice. “So what you’re saying is – I’ve been gone for two weeks, forced to be around that irritating alpha, exhausting myself from morning to night, half drowning in rapids, all for no fucking reason?”

Yachi was shaking in her slippers as she cowered behind Daichi. Was there any way to placate someone in this situation? Sweat dribbled down Ennoshita’s forehead. “…I wouldn’t say it was for nothing…” he rasped.

Tsukishima snarled and tightened a fist in Ennoshita’s shirt, ignoring protests from Daichi. He bared his teeth to the cowering student. “You think it’s funny to play games on us, human? I’m not laughing.”

_“Kei.”_

Tsukishima’s growl tapered off slowly. He tore his eyes from Ennoshita to lay them upon Yamaguchi, his chestnut hair mussed and his body clothed in pajamas. He must’ve just woken up. Sleep still lingered in his eyes. _“Tadashi.”_

At the sound of his name falling from those lips, Yamaguchi could feel his fatigue washing away. “You’re making too much noise. You’ll wake Hotaru and Nariko.” He tipped his head in the direction of Ennoshita. “Let this go, Kei. Please.”

Tsukishima let out a long breath. His grip loosened on Ennoshita’s shirt, and the ravenhead took that moment to wrangle himself out of the alpha’s grasp and scuttle away as quickly as possible. Tsukishima merely glared at him as the he too, cowered behind Daichi. He was drawn from it when Yamaguchi pulled on his arm, recoiling for a moment at the dampness of his skin, and tugged him away from the room to maintain damage control. 

“Kei…” Yamaguchi began as he brought his courtmate into their room. “You don’t know how much you frustrate me sometimes.” He started pacing.

“I frustrate you?”

“On a lot of things, yes!” Yamaguchi burst, feeling exasperated. “I usually have your back on things but you went too far. You’re bullying them just for being themselves. That irritates me, Kei.” He paused. “It can be fun to joke around but you weren’t just trying to get a reaction from them. You really pushed things too far.” 

“What do you want me to say?” 

Yamaguchi looked at his mate. “Be remorseful or something! Do you seriously no care at all? The day you come back you’re still arguing with them, trying to pick a fight. Focus on something else!”

Tsukishima sighed. “And what do you suggest I focus on?”

“I don’t know, our relationship?” Tsukishima quieted as Yamaguchi gave him a hard stare. “Mm. It’s been years, Kei. We were 16 when we started courting. We’re 19 now, almost 20. You know, I just thought that by now we’d…we’d have…” His voice trailed off into silence as he sat on their bed.

Tsukishima was quiet for a moment. “I should…tell you something.”

Yamaguchi raised his head to look at his courted. “What is it?” His voice sounded tired.

A sigh left the alpha’s lips. “Akiteru and his mate broke their bond.” Yamaguchi’s eyes widened. “They didn’t tell anyone, I found out by accident, actually. They kept up like they were mates, acted just as affectionate and loving, and I believed them. But they lied. And I can’t stop myself from asking now – do all couples pretend like that? Does everyone end up failing and tearing their bond apart?” His brows furrowed and he gave Yamaguchi a desperate look.

“Do you…not trust me?” The words were quiet, laced with a quiet pain. “Even after all this time you still wouldn’t…?”

“That’s not – no – that’s not it at all. I trust you, Tadashi.” 

“Then what is it?” Yamaguchi asked, confusion present in his eyes. “Are _you_ afraid of _yourself?_ Should _I_ be worried here?”

“I wouldn’t do that to you!” Tsukishima defended. “I’m not that kind of person, I thought you too, would have known that.”

Yamaguchi threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. “Then _what_ is it?! You can’t just be paranoid for no reason.”

“I don’t know, Tadashi!” Tsukishima burst, “I don’t know.”

A silence washed over the pair. It became almost unnerving.

“…Are you afraid you won’t be good enough?”

“…Maybe I am.”

“Kei…” Yamaguchi began in a soft voice, “You’ve always been good enough for me. Why do you think I’ve stayed with you for so long? I want you. I want to be mates with you.”

“I don’t want to screw up. You mean too much.”

Yamaguchi stood up and drew close to his courted. “We’re both going to make mistakes sometimes, but we’ll learn and grow together. That’s what we’ve been doing ever since we started courting, right? Knowing that we love each other and that we’ll always stand by each other keeps us steady.”

Tsukishima locked eyes with Yamaguchi. “I don’t know what you’re doing but it’s helping.”

The omega laughed and leaned up to kiss the alpha on the lips. “Good! I can’t have you backing out now! I’ve put too many years into you!”

Tsukishima merely rolled his eyes. 

* * *

Tobio stood in front of his bedroom door. He wasn’t sure what was waiting on the other side, wasn’t sure how upset his mate was going to be. Regardless, he braced himself and pushed the door open slowly and quietly, peeking into the darkened room. He could vaguely make out Shouyou’s sleeping form underneath the covers of their bed. Tobio shut the door softly behind him and walked over to his mate on light feet. It wasn’t surprising that their arrival hadn’t woken Shouyou up; he had always been a heavy sleeper. A part of Tobio didn’t want to disturb his mate, for he looked like he had passed out from exhaustion or something, but he also knew that Shouyou would be even more pissed off if he suddenly woke up in the morning and saw Tobio asleep next to him. 

“Shouyou.” Tobio called softly, shaking his mate on the shoulder a bit. “Shouyou, wake up.” He shook him a little harder when there was no response. “Babe, I’m back.”

Shouyou made a stirring noise that Tobio classified as cute, before blearily blinking his eyes open with a yawn (also cute). There was a moment of waiting as Shouyou’s eyes refocused from the haze of slumber to focus on the figure crouching next to the side of the bed. Recognition struck, and his brows furrowed. “Am I still asleep?”

“No. I’m back, Shou.” Tobio traced his fingers along Shouyou’s cheek in confirmation.

Shouyou shifted so he was sitting upwards and gave his mate a conflicted look. Within his eyes it was easy to see he was still very angry, but there was still a large part of him that seemed overjoyed to see his mate again. He seemed to settle on a course of action quick enough though. “You better have learned not to ever do something like this again. If you were seriously gone a month, I _never_ would have forgiven you. I seriously could not have waited three months for another heat if you weren’t here for this one.” 

“I’m sorry.”

You weren’t even thinking!” Shouyou fumed. “I can’t believe you would be such an asshole and do something like that to them! We’re supposed to be welcoming and you went and did _that?_ ” 

Tobio bowed his head. “Just try to understand where I was –“ 

“There’s nothing _to_ understand.” Shouyou cut his mate off. “What were you trying to accomplish anyway? All you ended up doing was make yourselves and the rest of us look bad.” 

“We thought if we tossed some of their stuff they’d get the idea that we didn’t want them around.” 

Shouyou scowled at his alpha. “Well, good job on that. Ennoshita still had his camera, by the way. He never lost it. You never threw it in the lake.” 

Confusion fogged the alpha’s eyes before anger took over. _“What?”_

“Are you pissed off?” Shouyou goaded. “I bet Ennoshita felt the same way when he thought his camera was gone. He couldn’t even do anything then, you know?” Tobio clenched his jaw. “It’s not okay. You can’t do stuff like that anymore. Not only is it positively rude but…Tobio, do you know how freaked out I’ve been these past two weeks?” Shouyou’s voice broke. “Every day that went by I got more and more anxious that you weren’t going to make it back in time for my heat and I was going to have to wait even _longer_ to have kids and it’s already been a year and a half of waiting and I can’t do it anymore –“ A choked sob broke off his words, and Tobio pulled Shouyou into his arms, anger dissipating immediately. This must’ve been the distress Shouyou had been giving off through the bond lately. His worry over Tobio’s return had clearly been taking its toll on the poor omega. Tobio rubbed his hand up and down Shouyou’s back as his mate let out his pent-up emotions from the past two weeks onto his shoulder. His shirt was already wet, it wouldn’t make any difference it got a little wetter. Things quieted after a few minutes. 

“You’re kind of wet, you know.” Shouyou said after a moment, his face buried in the crook of Tobio’s neck. 

“Yeah. I’ve been swimming from dawn to dusk since I was booted.” Tobio replied. “There are no complimentary towels out in the woods.” 

Shouyou snorted. “Maybe you should wash up. You smell really gross actually.” He shrugged out of his mate’s hold, and Tobio stood and went over to grab some new clothes from the dresser. Before he walked into the bathroom, Shouyou called out to him again. “When you’re done, um, come back okay? I kind of want to…cuddle.” 

Tobio smiled softly at his mate. “I’ll be out real quick then.” And he was. Shouyou was thankful Tobio didn’t take long – because he had really been missing having his mate around. It wasn’t the same, having no one to banter with during the day, no one to give him kisses when he wanted, no one to wrap his arms around him at night. It had been a lonely, anxiety ridden two weeks. But once Tobio emerged from the bathroom looking and smelling much cleaner (and drier), Shouyou felt better knowing he wouldn’t have to feel that way anymore. It was even more calming once Tobio joined him under the covers, and Shouyou quickly planted his head on the former’s chest and allowed Tobio to wrap his arms around him. It was a safe, secure, _warm_ feeling. The warmth blossomed when a kiss was planted onto his forehead. 

Shouyou shifted so he could look up at his mate. “Tobio?” The alpha hummed in reply. “You _are_ going to be nicer to them from now on, right?” 

Tobio didn’t reply right away. Conflict was present on his features, as he struggled to deal with his feelings towards the two humans but also at the same time do whatever it took to make his mate happy. 

Shouyou seemed to sense his hesitance. “Tobio,” he began, “If you try doing anything else, Daichi is going to kick you out again. Someday I will warm you up to them but for now, if changing for their sake won’t work, then do it for me. Do it for us.” 

“Okay.” Tobio gave his mate a firm nod of reassurance. “I promise I won’t do anything.” 

“And that’s a real, true ‘promise’ promise?” 

“Yes, I swear to you I won’t do anything anymore.” He gave Shouyou a little squeeze. “I’m not putting our future in jeopardy again.” 

Seeming contented with his answer, Shouyou allowed a small smile to play across his lips. He nipped Tobio’s chin affectionately. “Thank you.” 

* * *

Even after the camera incident and vows to improve their behavior, there was no denying that both Tsukishima and Tobio still felt scorn towards the two students. No actions were taken to vent this anger and disapproval, but both Yachi and Ennoshita still felt it in heated glares thrown their way whenever any of them crossed paths. The two students vaguely wondered whether things would ever change, or if the ‘relationship’ between the four of them would always remain tense and distant. They would get answers sooner than they expected. 

“The plumbing is out.” Asahi mumbled one morning, and tried his luck at the kitchen sink again, but it still produced no water when he turned the tap. He sighed. “This is no good.” 

“There’s no water?!” Shouyou asked, overhearing his words as he put away a plate into the cabinet. “No…we had laundry to do…” he whined. 

Daichi came walking in. “Anyone else notice there’s no running water?” 

“I did.” Asahi replied. “I think something must’ve gotten in the pipes. Happens sometimes.” 

Daichi frowned heavily and a long sigh left his lips. “That’s a problem – especially considering we’ve got young kids and Koushi is pregnant – we need running water. It’s summer, I don’t want anyone getting heat stroke.” He looked at Asahi. “I’ll need to go around back and see what the problem is.” Another sigh. 

]“You should take Kageyama-kun and Tsukishima with you. You could use some extra hands.” Asahi leaned in and lowered his voice. “And I still think they’re a bit angry about _you-know-what._ ” 

Daichi nodded, a glint in his eye. “You know, that’s not bad. Not bad at all. I ought to find those two…” 

Shouyou interjected himself into the conversation suddenly. “I can head up to the lake and fill up some water in a canteen for Koushi if that helps! Tobio and I had a lot of laundry to do and I really wanted to get that done so, I was going to head down there anyway.” 

“That would be very kind of you.” Daichi replied, and muttered something under his breath as he excused himself about finding the other two alphas. Shouyou, as much as he didn’t want to, figured he might as well do what he had too and went back to his room to get all the dirty laundry that had accumulated. He tossed discarded shirts, pants, sheets and such into a wicker basket until there was nothing else left, and then went back out to find that really old metal basin for washing clothes that hadn’t been used in who knows how long. They could wash stuff at home; there wasn’t really a need for it. He figured it was outside, so he shuffled over to the front door in order to go look for it. 

“A-Ah, um – hey! Shouy…is it okay to call him that?” 

The omega turned at the sound of a voice. Yachi and Ennoshita were a few paces away, looking at each other in hesitance. “Do you guys need something?” 

Yachi jolted to attention. “Right! Um, yes! Are you going for a walk or something?” Shouyou nodded. He supposed it was half-true. “Oh, cool! Can, um, can we come with you?” 

Ennoshita butted in. “We wanted to see a bit more of things outside, you see.” 

Shouyou smiled warmly. “Yeah that’s no problem! I’d love company.” The two looked relieved, and followed the orangette outside. Shouyou glanced around for the basin, and then walked around back to see if it was behind the den. He found it hanging on a hook near their cold storage, and Yachi offered to hold it for him. They also ran into Daichi, Tsukishima, Tobio and a boxful of tools, all leaning over some pipes that connected into the den. 

“Working hard?”  
Tobio turned at the sound of Shouyou’s voice to look at his mate. “If you want to call it that.” He glanced at the basket in Shouyou’s arms. “Doing laundry?” 

“Yeah.” Shouyou replied. “And don’t think that just because you got out of helping me this time I won’t make you do it all by yourself next time.” He smiled coyly, and snickered when Tobio stuck his tongue out at him. “Keep cool, okay? Don’t pass out from the heat and die or I’ll kill you.” 

“Gee thanks, dumbass.” Tobio said, sarcasm dripping on his words. “And I won’t. Be careful yourself.” His eyes lingered on the two students waiting behind Shouyou for just a second, a slight frown on his face. 

“I’m always careful.” Shouyou said, turning and walking off with Yachi and Ennoshita, trying to pretend he didn’t hear the unconvinced snort from behind him. The trio started down the road, while the student duo was kept thoroughly enamored by the scenery passing by. It took a few minutes to make it up to a familiar lake (one used for disruptive purposes), but Yachi and Ennoshita didn’t mind. They were enjoying their stroll quite a bit and really appreciating the chance to walk around the island a bit more. They soon stopped just at the edge of the water, and Shouyou and Yachi placed their held items down in the grass. 

“This is really pretty out here.” Yachi said, gazing out over the clear water. Ennoshita hummed in agreement. 

“It’s great for swimming too!” Shouyou replied. He filled the metal basin up with some of the lake water, as well as the canteen for Koushi. He fanned himself a little. “Ah, I wouldn’t mind that right now. It’s so hot out.” There was mutual agreement from both Yachi and Ennoshita. Shouyou sat himself down and started work on the clothes. “Oh, um, feel free to walk around if you want. You don’t have to just sit here by me. I shouldn’t be super long.” 

Ennoshita glanced around. “Are you sure? We could always help out…” 

“No, it’s no big deal! I wouldn’t want to have you guys doing my laundry, I’d feel bad.” Shouyou laughed a little. “It’s okay, really! You should walk around the lake.” 

“Well, if you insist…” 

The pair took Shouyou up on his offer and started off on a slow stroll around the lake. The sun was beating down on their skin as they walked, and the thought of jumping into the cool, clear water become all the more tempting. Yet with no bathing suits on them at the current time, they settled for just walking along the edge with their feet dipped in the water. It was somewhat refreshing. 

“I really wish I had brought my camera this time.” Ennoshita voiced, gazing around himself. “The view is so nice out here.” 

Yachi glanced at the lake. “It would’ve been ironic if you dropped it in the water on accident.” 

“Yachi! What the heck?” Ennoshita gaped, half surprised, half tempted to laugh. “Where did that come from?” 

She raised her hands in mock-surrender, a smile threatening to crack her plea. “I’m just saying! It would’ve been a little funny, admit it.” 

Ennoshita did laugh a bit. “Maybe. Partially funny, partially horrendously sad.” 

“Perfect humor for you.” 

Ennoshita merely shook his head in amusement. They both stopped walking for a moment. “I wonder if Shouyou is done with his laundry.” 

Yachi shrugged her shoulders in reply. “Don’t know. We could head back and check up on him, if you want?” Ennoshita nodded. They turned and started back; seems they had walked a bit further than they realized – they had almost gone halfway around the lake. They were almost back when something stopped them in their tracks – Shouyou wasn’t alone. There were others there, others that neither of them had seen before. 

“Look at you, aren’t you a pretty little thing?” 

They saw Shouyou still for a moment, seemingly surprised by the sound of voices. He glanced to the side, and caught the gaze of two lanky alphas. “Oh, um, thank you.” He replied, a smile on his features. 

“You out here all by yourself?” one of them prodded, inching closer. 

“No, two of my friends are walking around the lake.” 

“Oh really?” the other alpha asked, a strange lilt to his voice. “I don’t see anyone. You sure you’re not just playing hard to get now?” 

Ennoshita and Yachi could pinpoint the exact second Shouyou decided he was _not_ having any of this. His cheery demeanor fell, and those eyes became just a tad dimmer. He turned back to his chore, casually brandishing the bond mark on his neck for both alphas to see. Both of them were taken aback slightly. 

“Ah, I see,” the first started, “Already bonded? And your alpha just lets you out on your own?” he shook his head. “He should know how dangerous that is. Someone could come and eat you up.” His eyes flickered dangerously. 

Shouyou turned on them, clearly angry. “What century do you think this is? I don’t need someone to escort me around everywhere. I know how to handle myself!” 

“Feisty.” The alpha stepped forward and gripped Shouyou by the wrist. “I always liked the ones I fuck to have a little fire, after all.” 

“Don’t touch me!” Shouyou snarled, retaliating with a firm kick to the man’s groin, causing him to keel over with a growl. 

“Shit!” Ennoshita gripped Yachi’s shoulder as he watched the scene unfold. He so wanted to get in there and punch those guys in the face, but there was a part of him that was still affected by what Ukai had said when they first got here. They really weren’t supposed to get involved with other people outside of their host family or it could get dangerous. What the fuck was he supposed to do? “Y-Yachi – Yachi – do you remember the way back?” 

“I – I – I don’t know, maybe? I’m not sure…” she stammered, feeling panicked. 

Ennoshita gripped her shoulder harder. “Run back, okay? Get Kageyama-kun and bring him here. Hurry okay?!” 

Yachi could only nod weakly before her feet started carrying her blindly back in the direction of the den. She was panting heavily, not even out of physical exertion, moreso out of shear fear and panic due to what she just saw and what she was afraid might happen. So she ran faster. She tore down the street, never stopping, not even when the den was in view. She rushed to the back of the den, her breath coming even quicker now as her eyes fell on the group of alphas hard at work on the plumbing system. 

_“Kageyama-kun!”_ she found herself yelling. The alpha jumped, startled, and looked back at her. A surprised expression sat on his sweat-soaked features. “Kageyama-kun, p-please there’s these two big guys up by the lake and they s-started harassing Shouyou and they grabbed him–“ 

No further words left her mouth before the raven haired alpha sprinted past her in a rush of speed. 

Ennoshita was close to doing it. _‘I’m going to. I’m going to punch a Sulia in the face in about two seconds.’_ Ennoshita glared at the pair of harassers who were up tag-teaming Shouyou and forcing him to back up further and further away from them. He took and took a deep breath and started up to them, yelling: “HEY ASSHOLES!” 

Turns out, his punch wasn’t necessary. Just as Ennoshita was about to connect his fist with the nearest alpha’s face, something (or someone) tore up from behind and had both men knocked on the ground in a few quick seconds. Ennoshita jumped back in surprise, taking in Tobio’s figure as it loomed over the two grounded alphas. He was snarling, his sharp teeth exposed threateningly at the two men. 

Tobio gripped one of their shirts. “What did you say to him? What did you say to my mate?” he growled, eyes narrow as slits. 

The alpha glared back at him. “Told him just how shitty of a mate he has to let him wonder around all on his own. Pity you came to get him, I was gonna fuck him good –“ 

Tobio’s fist connected hard with the alpha’s face, cutting off his words. He punched him once more out of rage. “Don’t you _dare_ talk about him like that.” His voice was cold. “Don’t ever touch him.” He raised his fist again. 

“Kageyama.” Daichi’s commanding voice rang out over the clearing. “Don’t do something you’ll regret.” 

“I won’t fucking regret beating these two senseless.” 

Daichi came up next to him. “Will you regret it when it gets you put into prison for assault, instead of the two here who should really be there instead?” That caused Tobio to pause. As he considered the thought, he let the man’s shirt fall from his hands. Daichi patted him on the shoulder like a proud father. He was still absolutely livid, and the urge to strangle the two scumbags hadn’t gone away. He simply scowled. “I’ll take them down to the station.” Daichi said, gripping both offenders roughly by the shoulder and shoving them off. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure everything gets taken care of. Look after your mate while I do so.” Daichi walked off. 

Tobio turned to Shouyou, who was holding his hands close to his chest. He approached, and opened his arms to his mate, allowing Shouyou to make the first move. Shouyou gratefully walked into his arms, embracing the safety and security that came with being surrounding by Tobio’s scent and hold. Tobio rubbed his nose along Shouyou’s hair, face, neck – anywhere he could reach to spread his scent upon his mate. It was a deeply comforting gesture to both of them; Tobio felt better knowing Shouyou was marked with his distinct scent to ward others off, and Shouyou felt better having Tobio’s scent enveloping him around him like a security blanket. He didn’t really want to admit it – but he had honestly been kinda scared back then. 

“You okay?” the raven asked. 

“I’ll be alright. Just kinda shaken up.” Shouyou replied. “Can you walk me back?” 

Tobio nodded. “Sure, absolutely. I’ll do whatever makes you most comfortable.” 

Tobio insisted on carrying both the basket of washed clothes and metal basin back, even though Shouyou said it was fine, he could carry something, he wasn’t inept. He still ended up losing that one. Ennoshita tagged along behind them, though the walk back was remarkably quiet. They made it back to the den without difficulty, and Ennoshita met back up with Yachi in the gathering room and filled her in on what had happened. He was just finishing the story when their conversation was interrupted. 

“Um. Hey.” Tobio sort of appeared behind them all of a sudden, starling them both. 

“Oh, uh, hi?” Ennoshita tried. This was weird. 

Tobio glanced at them then looked away. “…wanted to say something…” he mumbled. 

“S-sure…” 

The alpha cleared his throat. What shocked the students was when he bowed to both of them. “Thank you. You were looking out for Shouyou and wanted to keep him safe, and that means a lot to me. I think I’ve…made some errors in my thoughts about you and I want to apologize. So…sorry.” He bowed again. “And…thanks. Again. Yeah.” Then he walked away as quick as it happened. 

Ennoshita looked at Yachi in surprise, who in turn looked at him in equal amounts of shock. “That…did just happen…right?” 

Yachi nodded, smiling a little. “I think so. I really think so.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was not anticipating having to push this chapter’s release back but midterms were kicking my ass and anytime I tried to write I either couldn’t or ended up really dissatisfied with my work. I think I scrapped this chapter four times before I finally finished this and I’m still really not super happy with it. I didn’t edit this and it could probably be better but I’m just done with it T_T
> 
> Anyway, for this chapter I’ll teach you about bonds! Bonds are so very important between mates. It’s not something formed automatically after becoming mates, but over time. In actuality, a bond starts to build during the time of courtship. It is very weak then, but it grows and becomes fermented when Sulia take the step to become mates. And over the next couple of weeks and months the partners with see the most progression in their bond. They’ll find they have a much deeper emotional and spiritual connection with their mate, and perhaps they’ll notice they can sense certain emotions through the bond that are radiating off of their mate. This part of the bond is essential, because not only does it bring closeness, but it allows the partners to better care for each other in times of discomfort and know when their mate is in trouble. Bonds are the shit
> 
> Thank you for all the support! Like, to this day I still can't believe how many people like this fic - it blows my mind. I get so happy when I see new comments or when someone leaves a kudo or when more people read. So with that, I hope you have a good day. eat some chocolate, or if you don't like chocolate, eat your favorite food or something. smut in the next chapter later everyone


	9. Summer Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A loud whimper came from the hall, and the overwhelming scent of heat flooded Tobio’s olfactory senses. His mind was instantly shaken from his thoughts, and the alpha sprung to his feet and skidded into the hall, nostrils flaring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I half edited this chapter. I've hit this point where I just sort of hate all the stuff that I write, and I get frustrated when I go back and read it because of that. I'm a huge perfectionist and I know I'm being irrational about it, but it's kind of impossible to shake the thought that things aren't good enough. I hate writing because this happens sometimes but then again it's literally the only thing I love doing the most. If anyone else is like this - I feel your pain so much.

It was nearing the end of July, and things were heating up, in more ways than one. Yachi and Ennoshita had been in the den for almost a month now, which was exciting in and of itself, and their comfort levels had increased quite a bit since their first days, with much thanks to many of the people here being so kind and welcoming and the knowledge that they could change people’s perceptions of what humans were like. The temperature had begun to swell over the course of the month, and the sun was near blistering as July neared its end and the hottest summer month prepared to take the stage. That wasn’t all, for now that the end of the month was here, so were the first stages of Shouyou’s heat.

“Tobiooooo…my stomach huuuurts.” Shouyou was curled up in a ball on their bed, his arms clutched around his abdomen and his face partially buried in a pillow. The early symptoms of heat had started taking their toll as Shouyou’s body prepared to undergo one of its routine and basic reproductive functions. His scent was growing stronger by the day, and he often complained of muscle soreness/tenderness and stomach pain, which was a common sign that his body was working to start his heat. 

Tobio scruffed his mate’s neck. “Do you want a hot water bottle?” Shouyou hummed in reply. 

“A-Ah! Do you want me to…” Yachi began, offering herself for the favor. She felt it was the least she could do. The couple was kind enough to allow her to sit in and ask questions about what was occurring with Shouyou’s oncoming heat. She appreciated it a lot, especially now since Tobio had become far more welcoming and appreciative of her and Ennoshita’s presence around the den. It helped answer a lot of questions for the project as well. 

Tobio considered her option. He wasn’t entirely comfortable leaving anyone alone with Shouyou at this point, no matter who it was. Shouyou’s pre-heat scent was clearly having its effect on him, making him far more protective of his mate and more prone to lash out in fits of aggressiveness and anger. He had already snapped at a few people in the den on accident because his nerves were so on edge (and apologized, it wasn’t on purpose after all). Shouyou rubbed his hand across his arm, calming him a bit. “Just go get it for me, please Tobio?” he asked, “I don’t think Yachi can even smell me.”

“Am I supposed to be able to smell something?” Yachi sniffed the room, not smelling a thing. “Did you spray cologne or air freshener or something?”

Shouyou smiled at his mate. “See? Yachi’s no problem. Now _please_ will you get me the hot water bottle my stomach hurts really bad…” Tobio sighed and hesitantly pushed off the bed, leaving for the kitchen. Shouyou turned to Yachi, who was sitting crossed legged at the foot of the bed. “He gets really _rrrgggg_ when I go into heat, you know? Which I get, mates are like that, but sometimes I just need to like, slap him on the butt and tell him its fine.”

“He really must care for you.” Yachi said, a small smile on her face. 

“I like to think so.” Shouyou snorted, before wincing in discomfort again as another sharp lance of pain stabbed through his abdomen. “Owww…”

“I can relate.” Yachi said, her brows upturned in sympathy. “I mean, I get really bad cramps when I’m on my period. I know how you’re feeling.”

Shouyou stared at her with his pained expression. “…Period?”

Yachi was stunned for a moment, seeming confused perhaps. “Is that not what…do Sulia not have them?” 

Shouyou shook his head. “It’s like, a punctuation mark, right?”

“What? Oh – no, that’s not what I mean!” She turned red and became slightly flustered. “Y-You know, when a female bleeds…d-down there…”

There was a beat of silence as Shouyou untangled the message of her words. Then his face quickly contorted in fear, eyes widening. “You bleed?” Shouyou said, sounding panicked and rising off the bed a little. “Oh my god, Yachi, you need to go to the hospital you’re gonna die–“

“N-No it’s okay!” Yachi assuaged, and got the omega to sit back down on the bed. “It’s a normal thing! I won’t die, o-okay? It’s part of a cycle, a normal cycle that most female humans go through!” She patted his shoulder reassuringly. “I’m okay, really!”

Shouyou’s panicked demeanor slowly diminished. He connected the dots. “Cycle? You mean like the _ileso_ cycle?”

“The what?”

“ _Ileso_ cycle. It’s a carrier’s reproductive cycle…” Shouyou fidgeted. “Um…I’m probably not the best to explain this…” 

“So, you don’t bleed? Not even females?” 

“Er – no? That sounds terrifying. How can you even handle that Yachi, oh my god.” 

_‘I wonder if Sulia go through something similar to the estrous cycle that most mammals do…’_ Yachi put that thought away for later and shrugged meekly at the omega. “It’s scary the first time I guess.” Her fingers ran through her hair. “But this right now is heat, right?” 

“Pre-heat.”

Yachi hummed in understanding and a small dip of silence crossed them. She was curious about this, and she wanted to know. After all, there had to be some differences between a heat for animals and a heat for an omegan Sulia. There were closer relations in some aspects biology-wise between humans and their kind, it would be interesting to know what it…well, felt like. “So…what is it like?” Yachi began slowly, red-faced and not meeting Shouyou’s eyes. “You know…your _heat_.”

“Hot.” Shouyou replied simply, not noticing Yachi’s embarrassment. “Like, sweaty hot. And other kinds of hot too, like, fiery hot. I’m not kidding, I seriously feel like I’m on fire sometimes. It can honestly hurt too, ‘cause sometimes you just feel like your burning up and your body just _aches_ so much.”

Yachi’s brows knit upwards in sympathy. “That doesn’t sound like fun at all.”

Shouyou laughed a little. “Well, it’s not at first. Once you start taking care of it, the heat’s supposed to ease up and it feels a lot better. I’ve never really had super good heats so far so; I can’t speak from the most experience here.”

“Oh? Why do you say that?”

Shouyou scratched the back of his head. “Mn, well…heat is usually the only time male omegas can get pregnant and um, I’m a male omega…”

Yachi’s face lit up in understanding. “Oh, so you two didn’t want –“

“No!” Shouyou burst suddenly, nearly making Yachi jump out of her skin. He quietly apologized. “That’s not…that’s not it. I did, I always have wanted that. There were just…other things that made me scared about in the beginning, you know? Um, and we both kinda sucked at talking about it for the longest time.” He sighed. “So heats were hard back then. He did his best to take care of me and I did my best to take care of him but it wasn’t easy for either of us. Kinda like an itch you can’t scratch.” 

Yachi furrowed her brows. “But if you were taking care of each other, why have your heats not been so good?”

Shouyou fidgeted in place awkwardly. Now _he_ was getting embarrassed. Yachi was just curious, she didn’t really know all the intricacies of these types of things, and Shouyou understood that. But still…why ask it like that? “Well…um…I mean take care of it in other ways. Ah, how do I explain this…um…” He paused, thinking a moment. His face burned. “Like, it can be painful if I’m not…full.”

Yachi sat confused a moment as she tried to grasp the meaning of _‘full’_ , but she did, and as soon as that happened she reddened quickly. Her hand came up to her face for some reason, perhaps an impulsive response of the body to shield herself from just how awkward this was. “O-Oh! O-Oh I s-see!” she sputtered, clearly flustered. 

Shouyou laughed openly and loudly at her shyness, though he was just as pink in the face as she was. As Shouyou’s laughter trickled off, a smile was left in its wake. “This is going to be a good heat though,” he said with an air of assurance. Yachi gave him a confused, inquisitive look. Shouyou smiled even more at her expression, hugging his arms around himself. “We’ll get to have our own family soon.”

Yachi’s eyes lit up. “Oh! So you two are planning on – oh wow – congratulations! I mean, I know you’re not pregnant or anything yet but, um, that’s really great that you’re doing that! I’m happy for you.” She smiled at her friend. Even if the whole idea of ‘male pregnancy’ was a very new concept and she was still getting used to the idea of seeing it and knowing it could happen – she knew how exciting and important the beginnings of family were. She was excited for her friend, especially since she could see from his demeanor and expressions that this was clearly something of deep importance to him. If things ended up going well for them, Yachi was really looking forward to seeing the development – perhaps that would makes this whole concept a bit less foreign if she could see it from the start. 

“Aw, thanks so much, Yachi!” Shouyou pulled her into a hug, surprising the blonde, but she reciprocated the gesture after a moment. Shouyou pulled back, smiling brightly. “That means a lot to me.” Tobio returned to the room at that moment, the rubber container of hot water in hand along with a steaming cup of tea in the other. He approached his mate and first offered him the hot water bottle, which Shouyou gladly pressed on his aching abdomen, and then offered him the tea. “You made this for me?” Shouyou asked. Tobio nodded. Shouyou beamed, taking the mug from his mate’s hand. “So sweet! My mate is _sooooo_ sweet!”

“S-Shut up…don’t spill that.” Tobio pouted, slipping back onto the bed next to Shouyou, who immediately cuddled up next to him. That was another thing, before and after heats, Shouyou got _extremely_ cuddly. He vied for attention and physical contact. 

“So, we were just talking and um, I just wanted to congratulate you, Kageyama-kun!” Yachi said, drawing the attention of the raven. He quirked his brow at her. “You two going to start a family. I’m happy for you both.”

Recognition spread across Tobio’s features. “Oh. Shouyou told you that? Well, thank you then.” 

Yachi smiled. “Must be exciting.”

“Tobio’s only excited about the ‘making-of-the-baby’ part.” Shouyou teased, and laughed at the glare his mate sent him. Tobio moved to whack him with a pillow. “Okay! I’m joking! Don’t hit me with that or I’ll spill this!” The alpha relented. Momentarily, anyway.

“I’m just as excited as you are, dumbass.” 

Yachi looked at the pair. “So, you two are ready to be parents?” 

Shouyou nodded in enthusiasm. “I’m sure there’s going to be stuff I’m not prepared for but still – I really want to do this.”

“What about you, Kageyama-kun?”

Tobio shrugged. “Yeah, I am. Just nervous.” 

Shouyou curled in closer to his mate. “Hm? What’s up?”

Tobio’s brow furrowed slightly and a small frown crawled upon his face. “Just don’t want to screw up.” Shouyou hummed. “That’s someone’s life – our kid’s life – and the way they’re raised plays a huge role in the adults they become. It’s just…a big deal.”

Yachi sat quiet as she considered Tobio’s words. Then she smiled. “You really care a lot about what’ll happen to your future child.” Tobio looked at her. She smiled even more. “That’s a good thing! It means you want what’s best for them! That’s a sign that you’ll parent them well in the future. You’ll do all you can to make them happy and keep them on the right path.”

Shouyou nodded. “Yeah! Yachi’s right!” He poked Tobio in the side. “You’ll be a great father.”

Now _that_ made Tobio stiffen. He certainly wasn’t used to having that term applied to _him_. He felt the need to clear his throat. His cheeks felt a bit warmer than usual too. “Y-Yeah, s-sure.” He shrugged. “Thanks, um, Yachi. For all the stuff you’ve done.”

Yachi flushed in embarrassment. She scratched the back of her head. “N-No, it’s okay! You don’t need to thank me! I’m just happy to be of help!” 

“I’m still sorry about…not trusting you.”

Yachi waved her hands back and forth. “No, it’s okay! I-I mean, if I was in your place I could really understand wanting to do all the things you did and distrusting me and Ennoshita. I don’t blame you!” She smiled meekly. “I’m really glad things are better now!”

Tobio offered a slight upturn of his lips in return. “Yeah. It’s nice.” Shouyou was beaming.

A day later the pair was reacquainted with the parts of heat that just didn’t make any sense at all. Shouyou could fluctuate really quickly, which wasn’t necessarily common for everyone. One minute he was rolling around on the bed wanting to sleep, and then the next he was high-energy, bouncing around the den and itching to exercise and be as active as possible. 

Shouyou pouted at his mate. “I want to go running.” His face was pink and his sweet scent was already very strong, and he even seemed to be panting a bit. He could go into full blown heat at any moment. There was no way Tobio was letting him go outside like that. 

“No,” Tobio said firmly. Shouyou’s scent really had him on edge at this point. “You’re probably, what, maybe at the very least an hour from having your heat really kick in, and you want to go for a run? Are you stupid?”

Shouyou frowned. “If you were this pent up you’d want to get out and go running too! You already kept me from practice, and I was going to see Kenma today! Come _on_ Tobio!” he bit back.

“Going outside right now is a horrible idea. And I stayed back from practice too, you know!” His mate argued. “Run up and down the hall or something if you want to let out some energy. You can’t go outside right now though, it’s way too risky. You’ll get hurt.”

Shouyou huffed at his mate, turning on his heel out of the gathering room and into the hall. He did seem to settle for the alternative though, as Tobio saw him jog past the room again a moment later. That relaxed the alpha a bit, so he settled himself onto one of the couches to relax and wait for Shouyou’s heat to spark. This was going to be a landmark moment in their relationship; they were finally going to have kids of their own soon. The thought brought butterflies to his stomach. He was nervous, no doubt, but there was an undeniable excitement within him too. He wanted this. Tobio couldn’t deny that thinking about Shouyou pregnant stirred some sort of primal instinct inside him. It was a sort of possessive, pride-filled feeling just knowing that _his mate_ was going to be full of _his pups_. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t want that so bad. 

It was almost strange how strong the desire to pup his mate was. When he was younger, the idea of having his own family wasn’t really something he considered often. Before he met Shouyou, he wasn’t even certain he’d ever find someone out there for him. Most people he had known in school had drifted away during his junior-high years, and they were mostly people he had known from his old team. He was left behind. Abandoned. He was extremely lonely during that period, frustrated, and had half-given up on forming proper relationships again. But Karasuno, and Shouyou in particular, they made him know what it felt like to have friends and feel supported – to finally feel like he wasn’t alone. And Tobio found himself changing, wanting to be better, all because of an excitable, tiny little omega with flaming hair who seemed to smile at everything, talked too loud, and got sick when he was nervous. 

The slight _pat-pat_ of feet sounded, and Tobio watched Shouyou jog by again, the heat reddening his face and causing the minor physical activity to seem like it was far more, judging by the way he was panting so heavily. Tobio bit his lip. Yes, falling in love with Shouyou seemed only natural. Who didn’t fall in love with his infectious personality? But for Tobio…it went further than that. Shouyou always seemed so desperate to prove that he was there – that he was different. In all of his actions he found ways to make himself stronger and also cement the partnership they had. And whether he knew it or not, he had a way of dispelling Tobio’s insecurities. Shouyou always seemed so confident in him, and he proved time and time again that _he was there_ and he wasn’t like _them_. 

A long sigh left the alpha’s lips. Even after courting for a year and being mated for just about two, Tobio still couldn’t believe just how lucky he was. When he had tried giving Shouyou that weaving three years ago, he hadn’t expected much of anything to come out of it. It surprised him more than anything when Shouyou tugged him down by the shirt about six seconds later and kissed the daylights out of him. 

Now they were going start a family soon? So much can change in such a short period of time – it’s astonishing. But it was the right time for them – no doubt evident in their behavior through Shouyou’s increasing impatience over prior weeks as he waited for his heat, and now Tobio’s strong desire to pup his mate as the heat came even closer. Their bodies were clearly aching to follow through on the mutual agreement they had made a month ago. 

A loud whimper came from the hall, and the overwhelming scent of heat flooded Tobio’s olfactory senses. His mind was instantly shaken from his thoughts, and the alpha sprung to his feet and skidded into the hall, nostrils flaring. He looked down both sides and spotted his mate at the opposite end, circled in against himself and panting against the wall as Koushi sat next to him and rubbed soothing circles in his back. He could feel his temper flare at the sight of someone being near his mate while he was in heat, but he tried to restrain himself. 

_‘Don’t snap – Koushi is just trying to help,’_ Tobio thought to himself as he took several breaths – but it didn’t help, Shouyou’s scent had drenched the air and it only riled him more. _’Shouyou is in pain. Koushi is an omega and is simply trying to comfort him. He is pregnant – do not snap.’_

From a distance, he let out a low growl – one that didn’t carry any threatening intentions in its tone, but still carried the vibe that he didn’t want Koushi to touch his mate. Koushi’s head rose at the noise, and he took several steps away from Shouyou, knowing full well how alphas got around their mate while they were in heat. Tobio mouthed a quiet thank you and quickly paced over to his mate and squatted next to him, and the omega quickly reacted to the alpha’s rousing scent and buried himself into Tobio’s chest, rubbing his face all over the raven’s shirt. 

“Tobio…” he panted, his face flushed a bright red, “I need you. _Now_.”

Simple words, but tethered with the intoxicating smell that was pouring off his mate in heavy waves, and it was enough to cause a stirring in his groin. He pulled Shouyou into his lap, and the omega clumsily curled his arms around his neck and locked his legs around his middle. “I’ve got you.” was his reply, his voice sounding even lower than normal. 

Tobio stood, and supported Shouyou up by his rear as he swift walked them back to their room. He knew, yes, he _knew_ there was a damp spot on Shouyou’s shorts – he could feel it on his arm – and it took all his willpower not to focus on _why_ it was there, because he could easily _smell_ why it was there. The thought of it made his mind hazy. 

Their door was ajar, and Tobio pressed it open the rest of the way with his back, and Shouyou made some restless movements that indicated he wanted to be put down. The alpha obligated, somewhat unwillingly, and turned to lock the door for the duration of Shouyou’s heat. They had water easily accessible through the ensuite so Shouyou wouldn’t get dehydrated, which was a very common symptom of heat. Typically mates didn’t eat until after heat was over, anytime from three to seven days later, depending on the omega. 

Shouyou had already crawled onto the bed and immediately worked to pull off his own shirt, the top getting caught around the top of his head in his dazed state as he tried to clumsily remove the article of clothing. Tobio offered a free hand that wasn’t working to pull off his own shirt and pants to help Shouyou tug the garment the rest of the way off his head, and the omega tossed the item to the floor. He went for his shorts and boxers next, tossing them away as well, exposing himself completely. Then he didn’t hesitate a moment in attacking Tobio’s lips, catching the alpha off guard as he had just finished removing his shirt. There was a slight clacking of teeth which was quickly replaced with frantic, open mouthed kisses. The smell of slick was strong in the air around them, and it feed Tobio’s instincts, egging on his rut and fueling his desire. He pried himself unwillingly from Shouyou’s mouth to lave at the omega’s neck with his tongue, licking upwards in a thick line, before biting down on his bond bite possessively, causing Shouyou to gasp at the feeling. 

Tobio almost felt high. Dulcet scents surrounded him and left his eyes glazed over in lust and had his cock twitching in need. He wanted to savor every part of his mate. His teeth grazed Shouyou’s neck once more as he inhaled his scent, before pulling away and tugging suddenly on Shouyou’s legs. Shouyou gave him a questioning whine. Tobio didn’t reply and simply pulled the omega near the edge of the bed, positioning his mate so his lower half was sitting off the edge. He knelt between his mate’s legs. Shouyou’s scent was even stronger down here, perhaps, and combined with the scent of slick it was making the alpha extremely restless. 

“Tobio what are you – _oohh shit_ …” At the exact moment Shouyou had chosen to speak up, Tobio had buried his head between the omega’s legs licked around Shouyou’s sensitive and dripping rim. Tobio spread Shouyou wider, and pressed his tongue past the omega’s entrance. It was hot and wet around his tongue as he licked inside, waves of slick coating his lips and rushing over his mouth. The heady taste left the alpha drunk and craving more of it. Shouyou’s hips jerked at the movements of his tongue; he was biting his lip and gripping the sheets roughly, small moans of pleasure escaping through his mouth. 

The alpha pulled back after a few minutes, switching out his tongue for his fingers. Tobio pushed one past the soaking ring of muscle, then two, three, finding no tension or need for stretching as heat had already relaxed the omega’s muscles. Shouyou pushed back against his fingers, needing more, desperate for more, his body overwrought with the need to be full. His back arched and a whimper left his lips as Tobio curled his fingers inside him. Shouyou felt like fire, it pooled in his gut and licked across his skin in a way that made him squirm and writhe uncomfortably. He couldn’t keep still, and Tobio’s hand on his hip did little to calm him. It had the opposite effect actually, for every touch his mate placed on his skin caused the heat to grow hotter and the fire to burn brighter. Shouyou needed something more – this wasn’t enough.

As if sensing his distress, Tobio retracted his fingers. Shouyou looked at him pleadingly, face sweaty and flushed with heat. He was aching so much; he didn’t want this to turn out like his other heats where he would writhe in pain as the heat grew worse and worse and no matter what Tobio did he could never find satisfaction. He wanted to finally be knotted in heat. “It hurts.” Shouyou whimpered, panting heavily.

Tobio too, was panting quite a bit from the start of his rut. His lips had a slight shine to them, Shouyou noticed, and he couldn’t help but feel a little bit embarrassed knowing that it was the residue from his mate’s work between his legs. “Not me, was it?”

Shouyou scrunched his brows up. His heat sort of fogged with his senses a bit, and it took him a minute to comprehend what Tobio was saying. He tried shaking his head ‘no’, but found that made him really dizzy. “That felt _good_.” He paused to let out a heavy breath. “The _heat_ hurts.” he enunciated, then pointed at Tobio. “You. More. Need it.” 

Without giving his mate a chance to respond, Shouyou scooted away to the middle of the bed. Tobio took a second to finish stripping himself and when he turned back, he had to fight back to urge to jump Shouyou right then and there. Shouyou had planted himself into a natural position of submission for omegas in heat, knees planted in the mattress and his ass in the air, head lying on his hands. The position and the sight of slick running down his thighs was more than enough to cause a low, guttural growl to vibrate from Tobio’s throat. Shouyou looked utterly _submissive_ and the instinctual alpha side that was inside him was breaking through and ordering him to take control and perform his biological duty. 

In a matter of seconds Tobio was behind his mate, hand pressing into the dip of Shouyou’s waist to steady him and other coming back to guide his member up to the slick entrance. Shouyou made a desperate noise when he felt the tip pressed up against him, and Tobio stabilized him when the omega made a move to push back on the appendage himself. Shouyou whined, frustrated.

“Let me do this.” Tobio grit out, sounding equally irritated due to rut. It was his instincts, those core, basic instincts that told him he needed to be in control here – because his mate was presented so submissively and because his mate was in heat and he must take care of him and because rut had practically taken over the entirety of his senses. 

“Stupid alphas…” Shouyou muttered quietly under his breath. 

Ignoring the comment, Tobio pushed himself into the heat of his mate, only shuddering slightly at the obscenely wet sound following the moment of connection. Shouyou made a sharp intake of breath at the action, but it quickly eased into a long, contented sigh. The throbbing pain inside the omega was still an aching distraction that was enough to halt any pleasing feelings that came with having his mate push inside him. Shouyou was familiar enough with this pain to know that it didn’t back down unless he was knotted. 

The palms of Tobio’s hands held a firm grip on his hips and left a scalding heat flaring on Shouyou’s skin at the contact. The alpha pressed himself flush against Shouyou’s back and set his hips to work in a punishing pace, leaving skin slapping against skin and forcing panted gasps and moans from the omega’s mouth. Rut kept him in a kind of frenzy – kept his movements fast and hard and rough – and finally being inside such a searing heat encouraged his base instincts to fulfill what rut was for: breeding.

Shouyou arched his back and clawed his fingers into the comforter at a particularly well-aimed thrust. He felt a hand clasp around his erection and let out a noise that he would have found embarrassing if he weren’t so dazed from heat and giddy from his alpha’s pheromones. Tobio began to pump along in time with his quick thrusts against his prostate and Shouyou was shuddering, his whole body shaking violently at the sensation of being pleasured so thoroughly. He couldn’t even speak properly, only mutter some mess of incoherencies until he cried out loudly, coating Tobio’s hand with his release while a new rush of slick gushed forth from behind. 

“Fuck…” Tobio panted next to his ear. A drop of sweat trickled down his temple. He somehow managed to thrust even faster, his breath heavy against Shouyou’s shoulder. Shouyou moaned wildly and gripped firmer to the sheets in anticipation – his mate was clearly close. His stomach flip-flopped a little in excitement and he let out a noise of approval and pleasure until suddenly he felt very, _very_ empty. 

Shouyou wasn’t wrong – he _was_ empty. “T-Tobio…?” Anxiety could be heard in the breathy tone of Shouyou’s voice. He turned his head backwards to send his mate a panicked look. “B-But your knot? P-pups?” A feeling of betrayal shot through his heart. 

Strong hands at his sides flipped him over onto his back. Tobio situated himself above his mate. “Shh, relax baby. I just want to look at you.” Shouyou felt Tobio’s length against his entrance again and gasped hotly as it pushed back inside his slick hole. “I want to… _ah shit_ …see you when I pup you.” 

“When d-did you get sentimental?” Shouyou asked, the teasing lilt of his voice stuttering slightly as Tobio resumed his pace from before. Tobio responded by nailing his prostate dead-on, leaving Shouyou gasping for breath and clawing at the alpha’s back, a trail of angry red lines being left in his wake. The alpha continued to pound relentlessly against his mate’s sweet spot as his knot started to swell. Shouyou’s toes curled and a long, drawn-out moan escaped his lips as he felt himself stretching to accommodate the forming knot. He rolled his hips in encouragement and felt a familiar pooling in his gut – stronger this time. Tobio groaned and found his movement had minimized as his knot had fully formed. Shouyou felt completely full, and the throbbing pain of heat that clawed at him before receded as he basked in the feeling of his mate’s knot and size. The feeling was euphoric, and it only took one more brush against that blissful spot inside him to have Shouyou in pieces – his whole body trembling, hands clutching tight, shivers racing down his spine as he came, mouth open wide in a silent scream. 

The sight of his mate so blissed out was utterly erotic. A growl ripped from Tobio’s throat without his control as his own orgasm pulsed through his body, and he spilled himself inside his mate. His body shuddered as he continued to cum in thick ropes, filling his mate with his seed. Once the waves of orgasm finally subsided, Tobio let out a heavy breath and laid his head in the crook of Shouyou’s neck and breathed in the omega’s delicious scent.

“Mmf – Tobio get off.” Shouyou mumbled, pushing lightly at the alpha’s shoulders. “You’re lying on top of me.”

Tobio grumbled something under his breath and brought Shouyou into his arms, turning them over so Shouyou was lying on top of him instead. Shouyou was much lighter anyway. “Better?” 

“Yeah.” Shouyou’s face was still flushed with heat, but for a moment he felt relaxed, satiated, even. It allowed his head to clear much more and fully bask in the sensation and what it meant. It obviously wouldn’t last for long, the heat would come back with a vengeance in a short period of time, but it didn’t matter because it was the best feeling he had ever gotten out of a heat in his entire life. He craned his neck and pressed a kiss against Tobio’s cheek. “Thanks.”

“Mm?”

“You’re keeping your promise.” 

“Yeah. Well, working on it anyway.” 

Shouyou let out a breathy chuckle. “Don’t let me down then.” Tobio nodded to him and let his lips graze Shouyou’s cheek, which tasted salty from sweat. Shouyou had to sit contented with that reply and merely hope that by the time heat was over, a promise would be fulfilled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have so much to teach you right now so have a seat if you aren’t already sitting (who reads fanfiction while standing honestly) This will literally be me struggling to make sense of Sulian biology right now I hope I do an okay job
> 
> Sulia carriers go through the estrous cycle (many mammalian females go through this same cycle – in the story I’ve only made some slight adjustments to it so it’s not strictly the estrous cycle, kinda just influenced by it) not a menstrual cycle. A significant feature to mention is that the endometrium is reabsorbed if a Sulia does not conceive during their cycle, so just know that they don’t bleed like humans do. This can be called concealed ovulation. There are different stages in the cycle; during the first stage, the ovary starts to grow. There are no blood secretions, but some might have other water-like discharges similar to slick. It’s also important to note that female omegas can become pregnant at any time during their cycle, while male omegas usually can only become pregnant during heat. The second stage is commonly known as heat. Hormones and pheromones are exerted in great amounts during this period, and libido spikes immensely. Female betas do not experience this period since they do not experience heats, but will find an increase in sexual drive, though not to the degree of an omega in heat. In the final stages of the cycle, the corpus lutem forms and uterine lining emerges. The regression of the corpus lutem depends on whether or not a carrier has conceived. There may also be times when a Sulia carrier’s sexual cycle is at rest. This may be due to the carrier falling pregnant, lactating, being seriously sick, or age.
> 
> If some things don’t make sense, you can look into the estrous cycle yourself. I heavily influenced what I have here off of that (and I mean heavily, I really just tweaked it to fit the omegaverse setting a bit). I wanted things to seem realistic but this is fictional anyway so who cares
> 
> Sulian Vocab:  
>  _ileso_ : desire


	10. Home Is Where the Heart Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seiichi latched himself onto his father’s leg and started crying loudly. “D-don’t leave! I _hate it_ when y-you leave! Everyone is all s-sad when you leave!”
> 
> “It’s not the same when you’re gone…” Jun echoed, a hurt expression on his face.
> 
> Ukai could feel his heart practically being torn in two. Just knowing that he was the cause of all this sadness and pain in his family was…the worst feeling in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poll/Question thing at the end of this chapter.

****NO SERVICE****

Yachi stared blankly at her phone. It wasn’t like reception would magically appear when she suddenly felt the urge to make a call. It was with veritable naiveté and shreds of hope that spawned the belief that maybe she could somehow make this happen if she wanted it badly enough. But, no. There was no cell phone service, no internet, no electricity, and if it wasn’t for the fact that there was working plumbing in this place Yachi would’ve sworn this was the Stone Age. 

…She just wanted to call her mom.

Yachi wasn’t the best at keeping up false appearances, and if anyone took a look at her it was easy to see that she was, well, sadder than a person should be. Was it wrong to be homesick? This was such an exciting opportunity and there was so much to be learned, not only that but the host family was such a welcoming bunch and did all they could to provide a comforting stay. But…no matter what – this would never be home. No amount of friendly hugs or courteous chats could ever compare to the familiarity and comfort of being around sights, sounds, and smells that brought a person to a total calm, to a place of safety, to one of warmth – _home_. 

It ached being in a place surrounded by people who were home. It only made Yachi starve for that piece of something she couldn’t grasp. This was a communal place, a den of friendship and family. But it wasn’t _her_ family. 

Yachi never considered herself a selfish person, but she was starting to feel like it, considering she sort of wanted to leave this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity so she could go back home. She sighed lightly and shut her phone off. There wasn’t anything to be done about it, so she finally decided to leave the seclusion of the shared guestroom to go and bury herself in one of the novels found in the gathering room. Koushi was sitting on the floor by the coffee table eating a bowl of diced fruits, and Hotaru was kneeling next to him and drawing on some paper. 

“Good afternoon, Yachi-san.” Koushi greeted and gave Yachi a polite wave as she entered the room. 

Yachi waved back. “Afternoon.” 

“Ya-chan.” Hotaru said suddenly, and pointed at Yachi. Yachi was taken aback slightly. This child had hardly ever spoken to Yachi since she had first arrived, much less formally addressed her. And in such a cute way…

“Oh, hi there,” she smiled and waved her fingers at the tiny toddler.

“Don’t point, Hotaru. That’s rude.” Koushi chastised.

“Sowwy.” Hotaru replied. He looked at Yachi. “Sowwy for pointing, Ya-chan.”

“Aw, that’s okay.” Yachi said. She crouched next to the pair. “You haven’t talked to me much, have you?”

Hotaru pouted cutely. “Scawy.”

“Scary? I’m scary?” 

“Humans are scawy. Mean.”

“Hotaru!” Koushi frowned and gave his son a disapproving look. The omega turned to Yachi. “I’m sorry Yachi-san, he’s still learning what things are appropriate to say to people.”

“I-It’s fine, really!” Yachi replied, moving her arms in a placating gesture. “Kids usually don’t know what they’re saying…”

“Ya-chan seems nice.” Hotaru said. Both Koushi and Yachi looked at the small child who had resumed his coloring. “Shou-chan says she’s nice. Says she and Enno-chan helped him. You fwiends with Shou-chan?” the toddler asked.

Yachi gaped. “I, um, I-I think so…”

Hotaru put down his crayon. He looked at Yachi again and held a tiny hand out to her. “Then we can be fwiends. Shou-chan is fwiends with nice people.”

Yachi smiled at the young boy and took the tiny hand with hers and shook it lightly. “That sounds like a nice deal. I’m happy we’re friends, Hotaru!” Koushi couldn’t help but smile as his son settled back down to his coloring like getting over the species divide was the easiest thing in the world. Children really do have big hearts. 

“That honestly surprised me.” Koushi admitted to Yachi as the latter took a seat on the nearby coach. “Hotaru’s so stubborn these days. I never would have expected him to open up to you like that.”

Yachi shifted shyly. “It surprised me too. I assumed he was timid since I’m a stranger and all.” She smiled softly. “I’m really glad everyone here is starting to like us.”

“You two are quite likable you know.” Koushi replied. “And Hotaru is real sweet to most everyone, though I may be a bit biased –“

“Momma?” Hotaru interrupted. 

Koushi turned and brushed his fingers through his son’s sparse ash blonde hair. “What is it, sweetie?”

Hotaru shifted from his sitting position by the coffee table in the gathering room to crawl closer to Koushi. His tiny hands pressed against the swell of Koushi’s stomach. “When’s this?”

“When’s your little sibling coming?” Koushi asked. Hotaru simply patted Koushi’s stomach again. “Hmm, let’s see…just about three months. Sometime near your birthday, I think.”

Hotaru’s eyes widened. “No! That’s my bithday!” His face came up close to Koushi’s stomach as he fussed. “Don’t take my bithday, meanie!” 

Koushi struggled not to laugh. “No one’s taking your birthday, sweetie.” 

“My seebling is!” 

“No, no, Hotaru,” Koushi started, chuckling slightly, “Your little brother or sister is going to be born in November. Not on your birthday, honey, just the same month.”

Hotaru pouted again. He stared hard at Koushi’s stomach. “I don’t twust you.”

Koushi snorted and gave Yachi an amused look. “See? He’s a charmer.” Koushi lifted Hotaru up and kissed his cheek, making the toddler laugh. Yachi smiled at them but felt remarkably out of place, even intruding almost, like she wasn’t supposed to be here at all. The feeling was enough to cause her smile to falter and wither away in an instant. The familial display of affection in front of her reminded her that again this place was a home to many, but it was not a home to her. She ached to just disappear.

Footsteps interrupted her derailing train of thought. “Yachi?” She drew her eyes over to the source of the voice where Kiyoko was leaning over the arm of the couch. Her expression was inquisitive, with a hint of concern. “Mind if I borrow you for a bit?” Kiyoko asked. 

Yachi gaped a moment, but recovered her pride in order to give a shoddy response of: “Oh, um, sure. No problem,” and lifted herself from the couch. She followed the beta woman out of the gathering room and walked into the kitchen where she paused and waited for the next course of action. 

“Do you know how to cook?” Kiyoko asked. 

“Oh, yes! I would cook all the time back home…” Yachi trailed off, feeling sad again. 

Kiyoko scrutinized her. “Why don’t we make something?” She pulled out a pan and set it on the stove. “Any foods you like?”

“Um, well…” Yachi paused to think. “I always liked when my mom made tonkatsu…”

“How about we do that?” Kiyoko suggested. “Want to lead? You’ll know how to get it just right, after all.”

Yachi looked at the beta woman beside her. After a moment, a small smile wormed its way onto her face. “Y-Yeah. I can do that. Um, pork? Do you have that?” Kiyoko nodded and excused herself to go retrieve the item from cold storage. She returned after a few moments, and Yachi helped guide her through preparing the rest of the ingredients. A bowl was filled with breadcrumbs, and another with a beaten egg, while the cuts of pork were salted and peppered and dusted with flour. They took turns dipping the cutlets in the egg and breadcrumbs until there was an even coating of each. Then the meat was fried until crispy and brown. Rice was steamed as an accompaniment.

There was something oddly comforting about cooking with Kiyoko, Yachi thought. It brought back memories of home. The food itself, the actions, the atmosphere, all felt so familiar. 

“So, Yachi,” Kiyoko began as the two settled at the table with their meal, “This is probably not my place to ask but, are you doing okay? Lately you’ve been a little…muted.”

“H-Have I?” Yachi asked in surprise. “Ah, um, I didn’t think I was…”

“Only a little,” was the honest reply. “Do you want to talk about it?” Kiyoko offered.

Yachi bit her lip. “…It’s just a little hard,” she admitted sheepishly. “I’ve always been used to being in contact with my mom on a regular basis and now…I haven’t spoken to her in a month. I just really miss talking to her and hearing her voice. I know now that’s not possible but…I wish at least I knew what she was doing or I could maybe tell her I’m okay.” Yachi drew her eyes downwards. 

Kiyoko watched Yachi’s demeanor falter and thought quietly to herself. “Perhaps a letter?” she suggested.

“Hm?”

“Why don’t you write your mother a letter?” she clarified, “Ukai still leaves the island every week, so perhaps he could take it to her.”

Yachi looked up, her eyes brightening slightly. “Y-You think he’d do that?”

“I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t,” the beta reasoned. She smiled lightly at Yachi. “If you write one, I can take it to him when I head in for work today.”

Yachi lit up. “You would? O-Oh thank you so much!”

“Don’t mention it.”

* * *

“Come on, dad!” Two children, a pair of boys the ages of seven and nine respectively, tugged on Ukai’s arm. Behind them Ittetsu walked along quietly, internally amused by his sons’ excitable antics. Their oldest was Jun, a boy with dark curls of hair and amber eyes, and a face still rounded with youth but carrying a great likeness with his father’s. Seiichi was the younger of the two, his hair was dark in color just like his brother’s, but clipped short and straight. Framed glasses were perched on his rounded nose, and his chocolate eyes were alight with mirth. 

“Alright, alright I’m coming. Don’t make such a ruckus.” 

“You promised you’d take us to the park!” Seiichi said, tugging on Ukai’s arm even more as he pulled his father in the direction of the park.

“Well the roles have reversed haven’t they?” Ukai snorted as he was dragged into a wide grassy space. Across the way was a playground, and as soon as it was in sight both Jun and Seiichi dropped Ukai’s arms in favor of sprinting off towards it. Ukai and Ittetsu picked a bench nearby to settle themselves onto and keep an eye on their children. The two boys climbed and clamored around the course of obstacles, yelling and calling out to each other all the way.

Ukai smiled lightly as he watched his two children run around the jungle gym. But the grin slipped off his face as soon as they were out of hearing distance and an impassive frown sat in its place. He glanced to his left, where his mate sat quietly next to him. “…I have to head back tonight. I have a class on Monday.” 

His mate was silent beside him. Ittetsu didn’t spare a glance at the alpha beside him when he finally found the voice to speak. “You still won’t stay? Why do you keep leaving?”

“I don’t _want_ to leave – “

“Then _why_ do you?!” Anger laced the omega’s words, but the voice behind it cracked, threatening to break. “We hardly feel like a family anymore, Keishin. You visit on weekends but I don’t want our kids to grow up only seeing their father twice a week!” Ittetsu let out a long, shaky sigh. “Tell me; does any of this even matter to you anymore?”

Ukai bristled. “Of course it matters! I’d give anything to just abandon everything to stay here and be with three of you if it were that simple!” 

“What makes it so hard? What makes it so hard to stay here?”

“I can’t just abandon what I started, Ittestu. It wouldn’t be fair to those two students of mine. The least I can do is see this out to the end.” Ukai took a hold of his mate’s hand. “Then, once this year is up, I’m done with it all. I quit, okay? No matter what the outcome is of their project, even if all this turns out to be for nothing, I don’t care. I’m done. I’ll come back for good.”

Ittetsu looked to their hands, and then searched Ukai’s face. “Can you promise that?”

“I promise.”

“Promise you’ll be here for Jun’s and Seiichi’s birthdays than too.”

“I’ll take a sick day if I need to.”

Ittestu paused. “The Harvest Festival?” 

“…I can come for part of it.”

A defeated sigh escaped the omega’s lips. “…You’re really set on this aren’t you?”

“I wish I didn’t have to be.”

Ittestu frowned deeply. “It’s…not fair. What you’re doing, what you’ve done, it’s just…” The omega bit his lip as he struggled to find the right words. Ittestu gazed outwards, watching his children clamber around the playground. “I think about those two all the time, you know; how they must feel.” He paused. “They were so… _heartbroken_ when you were gone. We didn’t know what happened to you. I thought you died. Just about everyone did. I couldn’t tell Jun and Seiichi that…not ever…” Ittetsu’s voice cracked, his lip trembling. 

“Ittestu…I’m sorr-“

“Don’t say anything.” The words were nothing more than a whisper, but were a quiet command. “Don’t apologize to me anymore. I don’t want to hear words. Nothing you say will change the fact that you hurt me and your children.” Ukai was silent. “If you want to prove yourself, do something. Especially something for them.” Ittetsu gestured to their sons across the way. “I’m old enough that I can get by on my own but they’re young and they crave more than just me. Don’t ever let those two down.”

 _‘On your own, huh?’_ Ukai couldn’t deny the twinge of guilt that spread through him like a poison. _‘I’m supposed to help you through things, but even now I’m not doing that. This isn’t being mates…’_ He frowned at the thought. “Ittestu, I’ll do anything if it means I can make it up to you three. Anytime I can be here, I’ll be here. And I promise the second I can quit, I’m quitting and I’m not going back.”

Ittestu looked at him for a long while. After a moment he rested his head in his hand, breathing lowly. “Of all the things to happen in my life, the last thing I ever expected was for my mate get involved with humans.” He sighed. “I really hope this is going to be worth it, Keishin.”

“You know, so do I.” Ukai replied, “I’d feel like shit if I went through all this for no reason.”

“ _You_ would?”

Ukai scratched the back of his head. “You would too, I mean…”

Ittetsu shook his head at his mate, sighing. For several minutes the pair sat in silence as they kept an eye on Jun and Seiichi to make sure neither did anything too dangerous or tried wondering off somewhere. Time passed, and the late afternoon sky slowly shifted from milky tints of orange to soft pinks and light lilacs as the cusp of twilight made its presence known. 

A voice interrupted the mellow calm. “Pardon me, Ukai-san?”

The man in question turned to look behind himself, where Kiyoko was standing in fresh black pants and a short sleeved white blouse. An over the shoulder bag was slung across her chest. “Oh, Shimizu. Heading to work?”

Kiyoko nodded. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I was hoping to drop something off for Yachi-san. She was hoping to have a letter delivered to her mother.” Kiyoko rummaged through her bag a moment and presented a white envelope to the blonde alpha.

Ukai took the envelope from her hands. “She wants me to play postman, huh?” He sucked a breath through his teeth. “Haven’t I done enough favors?”

“I think she would appreciate it a lot, Ukai-san. She seems quite homesick.”

Ukai clicked his tongue against his teeth. He pocketed the letter. “Those kids are annoying…” he muttered under his breath. 

Kiyoko smiled lightly. “Thank you. If Yachi were here I’m sure she would be doubly thankful.” Kiyoko tipped her head. “Please excuse me.” She gave a small wave before turning and heading off on her way again, gone just as quickly as she had come.  
Ukai crossed his arms and looked to the sky. He bit his lip. It was getting dark much faster than he anticipated. If he wanted to get back on time he was going to have to start walking back to the shore now. This was the part of coming back that he dreaded the most – having to leave again.

He cleared his throat. “Ittetsu…you know it’s –“

“Time?” the omega interrupted. Ukai nodded slowly. Ittetsu merely looked away with an expression of melancholy. “...I suppose I knew,” he replied quietly. He stood from the bench and took a few steps forward, calling out, “Jun! Seiichi! Come on back over here! It’s time we got going!” 

There were some very audible whines from the playground as the two boys reluctantly climbed off and shuffled back over to their parents. Jun was pouting, and Seiichi followed the example of his older brother and was holding an equally petulant expression. “Can’t we stay a little longer?” Jun begged.

“As much fun as that sounds, we can’t do that right now kiddo.” Ukai replied. He ruffled a hand through the dark curls of Jun’s hair. “Sometime when I can stay for longer, we’ll plan a whole day for the park.”

Jun furrowed his brows. “You’re leaving, dad?” 

“D-dad…you just g-got home…” Seiichi was already starting to cry, his voice trembling as he tried to maintain what little composure he could have as a child coping with the fact that his parent was leaving.

Ukai panicked. “Hey, hey, hey now! Don’t work yourselves up like that! I’ll be back next weekend!”

Seiichi latched himself onto his father’s leg and started crying loudly. “D-don’t leave! I _hate it_ when y-you leave! Everyone is all s-sad when you leave!”

“It’s not the same when you’re gone…” Jun echoed, a hurt expression on his face.

Ukai could feel his heart practically being torn in two. Just knowing that he was the cause of all this sadness and pain in his family was…the worst feeling in the world. But he couldn’t risk skipping and staying at the cost of possibly getting fired, those two students still needed him. He helped get them here, set them up in a place to stay, and he was still doing them favors even now; Ukai knew that if he were to stop teaching at the school now he would never go back to the mainland. This project would fall through if that happened. Those two were still just as reliant on him for keeping them connected to the home they came from as he was relying on them to hopefully make a difference in that same home once they went back.

The alpha knelt down to the level of his sons so he could speak to them directly. “I know this isn’t easy for you all, it’s not easy for me either – I don’t want to go anywhere. But,” Ukai took a breath, “I have responsibilities. You know that annoying thing adults have? I have a responsibility to these two people that’s keeping me on the mainland right now. And until they finish their work, I’m responsible for looking out for them.”

Seiichi sniffled and Jun looked downcast. “When will…when will you be not responsible for them?” Jun asked.

Ukai thought a moment. “They’re supposed the work on this thing for one year. That would put us right back at the beginning of June once it’s done.” 

“That’s so long!” Jun whined. 

“It’ll seem like a long time I know, but you’ll find a lot can happen in one year.” Ukai replied. “I’ll still be coming home, still be around for holidays, still be here on your birthdays. Time will go by faster than you know it.” Jun and Seiichi both looked disappointed, but neither said a word. Ukai glanced around a moment, the guilt still eating him away. After a moment, he took both Jun and Seiichi into his arms and hugged them close. “I’ll be back in a few days, okay? Don’t cause any trouble while I’m gone, alright?” Both boys nodded, and Seiichi started to cry again. Ukai gave the pair another tight squeeze. He then turned to Ittetsu, who had remained silent through the entire exchange. “You take care of yourself too, okay? I worry.”

“I’ll be fine.” Ittetsu replied. 

Ukai rose and brought his mate into an embrace. He lightly kissed Ittetsu’s cheek. “Don’t lie, okay?” Ittetsu lowered his eyes sheepishly. “It’s a bad example for the kids.” 

“I’m not lying.”

Ukai pursed his lips. “If you say so.” He placed another kiss on the omega’s temple before pulling away with much reluctance. “…I’ll see you next weekend then. Okay?”

Ittetsu bit his lip. “…Okay.”

“I love you.”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll miss you.”

“…You too.”

A moment passed before Ukai finally sighed quite heavily, signaling his departure. He ruffled his sons’ hair one last time and gave Ittetsu a longing look. He whispered hushed goodbyes to his family before he turned away and started walking off. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am back after very busy school testing schedule! This chapter is a ‘lil bit shorter than usual though I’m sorry…I’m still in that writing slump. 
> 
> But I have a question for you all. In regards to male omegas, I’ve been using the term ‘mother’ when I refer to a male omega with child. I’ve read omegaverse fics that use ‘mother’ and again some that use variations of ‘dad’, ‘papa’, etc., for different parents, so as far as I’ve seen it the choice is usually just the author’s personal preference. (I personally don’t have any preference, as I’m honestly not sure how I want to refer to my parents yet.) Since I was really uncertain when picking what to write, I just ended up turning to the dictionary for a biological definition, and made that my choice for what I have at the moment. I’ve also considered parental titles not so much on being male/female, but rather on whether someone is alpha/beta/omega (it’d be in Sulian vocab). Ultimately, I’m just uncertain – and yes I know in the end it’s my choice, but still I’m very conflicted! So, I’m interested what all of you think about the different terminology and what you prefer in omegaverse fics. It would be helpful, thanks!


	11. Axis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Was he breathing? He wasn’t sure. Frankly, he wasn’t sure what _this_ was. Did he die, was he dy _ing_ , was this hell?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, my mentality while writing/editing/before posting, has now changed to instead of asking, 'is it okay', to 'I don't have the energy to question if this is good enough'  
> mm mental exhaustion

The air was warm. Not heavy, or burdened with the febrile heat of the past few days. What hung in the air was but summer’s humid touch. The light that filtered inside was barren, pale, bluish streaks – at limbo between night’s apex and the breadths of early morning. Things were still, things were quiet. 

Brown lashes fluttered against faintly freckled cheeks. A light yawn escaped pinked lips, and a reflexive hand came up to cover his mouth. Shouyou stretched languidly. His hands linked together and his arms spread out above his head, his whole body tightening before relaxing once again. He could feel some of the tension from his sore muscles wash away as he sunk back into the sheets and sighed heavily, contentedly. There was still the slightest ache in his gut, but it would fade quickly enough. 

Shouyou didn’t like being the first one awake – he usually never was on account of him sleeping like the dead. But now that he was he couldn’t help but think it felt lonesome, like this. There was no one to talk to, nothing to do. Well, there was someone…

He rolled onto his side. Shouyou’s eyes rested on the sleeping form of his mate. Tobio was lying flat on his back, one arm crooked and resting on his pillow and the other straight by his side. His raven hair was bit of a mess, but otherwise he looked relatively peaceful. There was this spot right in between Tobio’s brows that often got all scrunched up during the day, but when he slept, all that tension melted from his features, and really, it did him wonders. 

Shifting so he was propped up on his elbow, Shouyou poked Tobio in his side. When that stimulated no reaction, he did it again, but harder; jabbing his fingers into the alpha’s ribcage. Yet surprisingly, still nothing. Shouyou switched to shaking him roughly on the shoulder, and though a grunt did sound from his mate’s mouth, he didn’t awaken. Shouyou huffed. “Jeez, you really are tired, huh?” Only the steady sound of Tobio’s breathing was his reply. Shouyou pursed his lips and sat up. “Well, sorry then.” He then thwacked the alpha in the face with the nearest pillow. 

Tobio jerked violently, a grunt of surprise and a stream of profanity spilling from his mouth. He ripped the pillow away from his face and hardened a heavy, yet still somewhat sleepy, glare in his mate’s direction. “Really, Shouyou?” he grumbled.

“Hi.” Shouyou waved back sheepishly.

His mate sighed, some of his anger dissipating. As he did, his nose quirked, and an inquisitive expression crossed his features. Tobio sniffed the air, his suspicions quickly confirmed. “Heat’s over?”

Shouyou nodded. 

“So what was _this_ about?” Tobio returned the pillowy blow, but he clearly wasn’t trying to put much of anything behind his swing, so it ended up just being a harmless swat against Shouyou’s arm. Shouyou raised a brow at this, but decided not to say anything.

“I just wanted to talk.” The omega curled against his mate’s side and dipped his head into the crook of his neck. An arm slinked around his waist, pulling him closer.

“There’s better ways to wake me up for that, dumbass.” 

Shouyou snorted against the alpha’s collarbone. “You’re awfully forgiving this morning.”

Tobio shrugged a little. “What’s that mean?”

“You were pissed for about two seconds, and then you didn’t seem to care at all that I slammed you in the face. You barely even counter-attacked back!” Shouyou pointed out. “And you’re totally okay with cuddling right now! Normally you’d still be upset about me hitting you in the face.”

“What, do you want me to be pissed off?”

“Nooope.” Shouyou sang, quickly burrowing himself closer to his mate’s body and scent. “I like it when you’re soft and sweet.” He cupped Tobio’s cheeks in his hands. “Soft,” he said, then kissed the alpha on the lips. “And sweet.”

A faint hue rose on Tobio’s cheeks, and he quickly turned his head away. “…dumbass.” 

Shouyou grinned at the other’s shyness. “Say…how long do you think it’s been?” he hummed against his chest. 

Tobio considered it. How many days _had_ it been? It was so hard to keep track when neither of them were rousing at regular times, or even sleeping for the same period of time in between sessions. Everything had the tendency to blur. It couldn’t have been more than seven, that’s for sure, and since Shouyou’s heats were usually five days it probably wasn’t less than that. Tobio voiced this fact to his mate, whom nodded thoughtfully. 

Shouyou shifted on Tobio’s bare chest so he could look his mate in the face. “Hey, Tobio…” 

Tobio titled his head to meet the other’s gaze. “Mm?”

There was a moment of hesitance. Shouyou bit his lip and chewed on it for a second, and when his teeth released it, the pinkness had patches of red spotting along it. His fingers curled against Tobio’s pectorals, then uncurled and splayed over the skin. His eyes were glistening, so full of longing and hope, brimming with it and becoming auric pools of desire and desperation. It physically ached to see Shouyou looking at him that way, because Tobio knew, he knew what was prompting his mate to look positively parched for answers.

“D-Do you think that –“

“Yes.” The words came out quicker than he could think. But as Tobio watched the relief slowly wash over the uncertainty in Shouyou’s eyes, his haste to answer felt right. Shouyou’s happiness was everything to him.

“Y-You really think so?” The quaver in Shouyou’s voice was evident, but his tone had changed dramatically.

“Why do you think I’ve been so ‘soft’ with you?”

Shouyou’s mouth hung agape for a moment before he collected himself, cheeks aflame. “I dunno, I didn’t consider you thinking about me being pregnant.” 

Tobio ran a hand through Shouyou’s wild hair, attempting to smoothen it. “What about you? Do you think so?”

Shouyou tipped his head to the side and puckered his lips. He released a thoughtful hum. “Mm…well technically, if things went smoothly, I’m probably not actually pregnant yet.”

Tobio furrowed a brow at him. “What do you mean?”

“Well,” Shouyou began authoritatively, “After you, you know,” Shouyou made some gestures with his hands, to which Tobio raised a brow, “…um, inside there, it’s a big race! Once tiny Tobio swims _all_ the way up and penetrates the egg, I’m still not actually pregnant. Stuff still has to happen. See, all these cells start dividing to make a bundle of new cells! Then that new big cell travels down to the womb where it attaches itself to the wall. That’s when I’ll be pregnant.” 

Tobio stared at him blankly for a few seconds. “I’m 100% certain you were shit at biology in school.”

“Hey!” Shouyou exclaimed defensively. “I’ve been reading up since then! That’s how I know more than you!” He stuck out his tongue.

Tobio shrugged. “So…not pregnant?” Forcing those words out made him feel like a failure to his mate. Even if this was something that took time like Shouyou attempted to explain, Tobio still didn’t feel any better that he couldn’t give Shouyou this right now. He had promised…

Shouyou shrugged his shoulders helplessly and shook his head. “I think you did it though…” He stared deep into cobalt eyes. “And I’m really happy you think so too. That makes me feel even better about it.” He smiled up at his mate. “I just don’t want to have to wait…” he groaned, and slumped against Tobio’s chest.

Tobio kneaded his fingers against the skin of Shouyou’s back. He didn’t want to make Shouyou wait either. Tobio floundered as he thought of something to say. “Um, why don’t you…think of it this way, at least we’ll know for sure if you start having symptoms and stuff. Isn’t puking a big one?” Shouyou hummed in affirmation, far too preoccupied with the back massage he was getting. Tobio thought for a moment. “Can we…actually rely on that with you? No offense babe, but you get sick really easily.”

“I know…” Shouyou drawled. “But not even everyone gets that. And besides, you’d know if it was like, a continuous thing. Like a week of puking.”

Tobio crinkled his nose. That sounded awful and disgusting. People actually _enjoyed_ being pregnant? 

At that moment Shouyou’s stomach chose to growl loudly. The sound caused Tobio to be reminded of his own gnawing hunger, and another subsequent rumble erupted from his stomach in reply. Shouyou sputtered a breathy laugh against his chest and pushed off, rolling back to his side of the bed. “I’m starved, we should go eat something.” 

His mate made a sort of _‘hn’_ sound and kicked off the sheets, and the pair tumbled out of bed. They shrugged on some clothes and silently stepped into the dimly lit hallway. Shouyou kept a hand on Tobio’s back as a guide so he wouldn’t crash into a wall or something, and they made it into the kitchen with relative ease. They raided the pantry immediately, pulling out items of interest and stuffing something into their mouths every now and then. 

“Oh, hi you two.” 

The voice made both Shouyou and Tobio jump out of their skin and drop a few food stuffs to floor in the process. Tobio cursed under his breath and Shouyou whipped his head in the direction of the dining room.

“Koushi? You’re up?” 

“Clearly.” the pregnant omega replied. He poked a spoon into a bowl of something mushy (it was hard to make out in this lighting) and took a bite. “I had some cravings,” he explained simply, “I’m honestly more surprised you two are up.”

Tobio scrunched his brow and stuffed a piece of day-old bread into his mouth. “Why’s that?” he asked around a mouthful of food.

“It’s only been three days.” 

“S-Seriously?” Shouyou stuttered. 

“Well, today would have been the fourth had you still been in heat. But that’s clearly not the case now is it?”

Tobio and Shouyou exchanged glances. _Only three days of heat?_

“That’s not normal for me…” Shouyou said softly, his eyes lingering with Tobio’s then coming to rest on Koushi. He took a seat next to the other omega. “Why would I only have three days? Koushi, you work at the hospital, you know about medical things, what’s this mean?”

Koushi plucked the spoon from his teeth and hummed a moment. “It could be for a couple of reasons,” he began. He poked at his food and spooned another bite into his mouth. “For one, if you weren’t hydrating yourself properly during your heat and became dehydrated, your body tries to combat those symptoms by ending heat prematurely.”

Shouyou shook his head. “I should’ve been fine though. Tobio forced me to drink water right when I woke up and every other hour I while we were awake.”

“Then I wouldn’t pinpoint that as the reason.” Koushi replied. “I’ll mention this as well. If you consumed an _alusta_ leaf during the period before your heat was about to start or as it began, that also would have affected its duration. Since they are contraceptives, in addition to protection from pregnancy, one of the effects of taking an _alusta_ leaf is a shortened heat. You could have eaten it or brewed it as a tea and that would have worked.”

“But…those are rare and really expensive. They’re almost impossible to get in the first place.” Shouyou said. 

“We’ve never been able to get those.” Tobio added on as he sat next to his mate. They had tried to buy some not long after becoming mates, during the period when the idea of becoming parents wasn’t something they were quite ready for. Shouyou had figured it would make heats easier and there wouldn’t be any worry about possible pregnancy. Yet that idea was quickly shattered after they found just how freaking expensive they were. Apparently they only grew during a very specific and short time of year and in addition to that, the place on the island they grew was very treacherous to explore. So, no _alusta_ leaves for them.

“And I didn’t eat one, I wouldn’t have wanted to anyway.” Shouyou continued.

Koushi nodded his head slowly. His dipped his spoon back into his bowl of what was now visibly tomato sauce on some kind of crushed cookie or pastry. Tobio cringed when Koushi ate another bite. “Well, then the only option I’ve got left for you is fertilization. If an egg was successfully fertilized early on in heat, then your body will peak quicker so it can put its energy into the development of the blastocyst.” He paused. “I’m not usually one to pry about this, but, I’m going to guess you were actively trying during this heat?”

The mated pair gave a quiet and gentle nod in affirmation.

“I don’t want to say that this is the case and get your hopes up, but you know, keep an eye out for any changes just in case.” Koushi smiled softly and gave a reassuring rub on the shoulder to Shouyou. “You both can come talk to me anytime you need if you ever have any concerns or questions.” They gave their humble, perhaps slightly shy thanks in return.

Behind them, the floorboards creaked and Daichi poked his head into the dining room. “Oh, ok. You were in here. You disappeared from bed, so I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“The baby was hungry, you worrywart.”

Daichi glanced at the bowl of oddly combined foods his mate was currently snaking on and did his best not to pull a face. Koushi had eaten weirder things. “Oh, um, that looks nice.”

“Want some?” Koushi offered.

“No, no,” he coughed awkwardly, “I shouldn’t deprive you and the baby of any…important…nutrients.” The omega merely shrugged, silently amused. “Nice seeing you two up, by the way.” He smiled sleepily at Shouyou and Tobio. “I’m sure the rooms next to you will appreciate finally getting a full night’s sleep,” he teased. Neither caught on.

“Why wouldn’t they?” Tobio asked. 

“Oh.” He coughed. “Well, um, the walls are thinner here than you’d think.” Daichi fidgeted with the collar of his cotton T-shirt and coughed again. “…I’ll see you at breakfast.” After kissing Koushi swiftly on the cheek, he practically dashed out of the room. 

It was silent for a minute as Shouyou and Tobio sat with that sentence. Koushi went back to eating with an amused smirk on his face as he watched the pair decipher the meaning behind Daichi’s words. The first dustings of color appeared on Shouyou’s face, who proceeded to hide his head in his hands. Tobio followed about a minute afterwards, his eyes widening and a silent cuss slipping from his teeth. Neither were all that talkative from that point on. 

* * *

Waking up in the morning drenched in sweat was typically an indication of one of two things: you were either really sick, or you were about to endure a really grueling day in stagnant heat. For Yachi and Ennoshita, they were fairly certain it was the latter. Clothes stuck to their skin. They felt welt, unpleasantly so, and a gross humidity permeated the air. It pressed upon their shoulders, its invisible weight pushing down on them. The bath water did nothing, for it too, was distastefully warm. It only assisted in washing the sweat from their skin.

Koushi had ordered all the windows to be opened. He seemed in a remarkably bad mood for someone whom Yachi and Ennoshita had known to be relatively amiable and sociable. It could have been from the heat or the fact that he was about six months pregnant or maybe it was a bit of both. 

“That’s it. I’m done. I’m not putting up with this anymore,” he snapped at no one in particular. “We’re getting out of this den.” Koushi turned abruptly to look at the group lounging in the gathering room, all too exhausted from the heat to do anything but sit around. “It’s not healthy having everyone all cooped up in this stuffy place. We’re going somewhere cool.”

Tsukishima sent the omega a lazy stare from behind the rim of his new glasses. “And that would be…?”

Koushi crossed his arms. “We’re going swimming at the lake. And I don’t care if you’re tired, all of you would clearly much rather be cool right now so go get changed and we’ll leave.” 

There were no objections.

Except for those that were kept a secret from the majority.

Everyone had changed, and the group started off down the road. Ennoshita hung back, waiting until he was at the back of the group. He gripped onto Yachi’s arm and tugged her into step with his walk.

“O-Oh hi, Ennoshita,” she greeted warily, “Do you, um, need something?”

Ennoshita glanced around. No one seemed to be listening in, they were all to distracted running off ahead or conversing amongst themselves. He turned back to Yachi and spoke quietly near her ear, “We’re going back to the lake again…does that worry you at all?” 

A tentative glance was sent his direction. “Um, should it?”

Ennoshita bit his lip. “Well, it just seems like a place that deals with bad luck.” Yachi paled. “I mean, think about it a little. I thought they tossed my camera in there, and I still ended up losing one of my lenses from that. I guess for Tsukishima-kun and Kageyama-kun it’s a bad place because they were banished there for two weeks. And also, Shouyou got harassed out there and who knows how much worse that incident could’ve gotten.” He paused, perhaps for dramatic effect, and lowered his voice a little more. “It just…seems like bad things happen there.”

Yachi gave him a wide-eyed look. She held his arm in a vice-like grip. “Y-You’re really scaring me Ennoshita! W-What if someone dies today?”

Ennoshita’s brows furrowed. “That’s…a bit rash. I wasn’t saying anyone was going to die Yachi, I was just saying maybe these things are a bit more than coincidence.” He shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s probably stupid.”

“Well now that you brought it up, I won’t be able to stop thinking about it!” She trembled frightfully. “What if it’s c-cursed? A-And now anyone who comes there is doomed to s-suffer a h-horrible fate –“

“Yachi.” Ennoshita interrupted. She halted, and looked at him blankly. “Chill.”

“S-Sorry.”

They didn’t bring it up again for the rest of the trip. Upon arriving, everyone seemed to already have a plan in mind of what they were going to do. Daichi, and Koushi sat by the water’s edge, and Hotaru enjoyed splashing water at his parents. Tobio and Shouyou had already swum out into the lake, only stopping to shove each other underwater at certain intervals. Asahi and Yuu were sitting under the shade of some trees, Nariko in the arms of his mother. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi were about waist-high in the water, snickering to each other about something. Kiyoko was sunbathing near the water’s edge. 

Yachi went to go sit in the shade near Asahi and Yuu while she applied some sunblock. She watched as Nariko squirmed and fussed in her mother’s arms until Yuu tiredly handed her over to Asahi, whom, miraculously managed to calm the young infant in a matter of moments. This, clearly bothered the omega.

Asahi looked at his mate’s expression. “Are you upset?”

“A little.”

“And why’s that?”

Yuu pouted. “She hardly fusses when you hold her. She always seems to get so riled up when I have her, and I’m her mom!” He clicked his tongue. “It’s not fair at all.” 

“Well,” Asahi knitted his brows. He maneuvered Nariko around in his arms as he tried to think of the best answer that would placate his mate’s frustration. “I think she feeds off your energy.” Asahi countered. “You know, you get excited, she gets excited, and sometimes that might be a bit much for her to handle.” The omega huffed. “She’s calm when she nurses, and that’s with you, so it’s not like it’s only me, you know.”

“Of course she’d be calm when she nurses! She’s getting _food_ , Asahi.”

Asahi quirked a brow. “You think that would stimulate the opposite reaction. I mean, think about _you_ when you get food.” 

Yuu sighed. “I don’t know. She’s more like you anyway.” 

Yachi capped the top on her sunblock and started walking off, but as she did, Nariko starting making all sorts of noises as she came near. Yachi wasn’t sure whether this was a good thing or not, after all, it wasn’t right to hold or touch someone’s child when their parent didn’t want you to. 

“Oh, are you saying hi?” Asahi asked his daughter. He picked up one of Nariko’s tiny arms and waved it lightly in Yachi’s direction. “Say hi to Yachi-san, Nariko.”

Yachi’s heart melted. She crouched down a little, keeping mind of her distance, and waved back at Nariko. “Hi there! You’re very cute!” she said, smiling. Nariko giggled.

“You can…hold her hand.” Yuu said. Yachi looked at him, dumbfounded. “Don’t pick her up, _please_ , but…you can touch her.”

Yachi stared at Yuu a moment more before collecting herself, nodding far more times than necessary. Hesitantly, she reached her hand forward toward Nariko. The skin of her finger lightly brushed the tiny hand of the infant, and was clasped in Nariko’s loose grip. Yachi felt her heart stutter, then warm. 

* * *

“Hey, Ennoshita!” Ennoshita turned at the call. Tanaka had walked up to him. He pointed a finger right in his face. “I challenge you!”

“To…what?” 

“A competition of LUNG CAPACITY!”

Ennoshita stared. “So…how long I can hold my breath?”

Tanaka gripped Ennoshita by the arm. “Precisely.” He started dragging him towards the water. “You won’t be able to win, you know.”

“Did I even agree to this?” Ennoshita asked, but his question fell on deaf ears. 

He followed him out to about a third of the way before they both stopped. They kicked their feet to keep afloat. Tanaka smirked at him. “I’m gonna kick your ass,” he said with confidence.

Ennoshita shrugged. “We’ll see.” Ennoshita took several deep breaths in preparation before they both submerged themselves below water. They settled themselves so they were facing across from each other, and the competition began. 

Tanaka started off with low blows. He made the stupidest faces he possibly could in an effort to make Ennoshita laugh. Some of them were funny, Ennoshita would admit, and he almost cracked a few times. He actually found it funnier when Tanaka started doing poses and flexes. Ennoshita wasn’t sure whether he was intentionally trying to be funny or whether he was actually trying to impress him, but he will admit he lost some air because of it. After that Tanaka quickly gave up on any cheap tactics.

The water was clear here; crystalline. It was warm, thanks to the midday sun beating down on the water’s surface. Looking down, Ennoshita could almost see the bottom of the lake, but it darkened as things got deeper, making the ground a bit too murky to make out. His jet black hair fanned out around him, softly swaying with the water’s gentle movements. A few bubbles of air escaped him, and he watched them float all the way to the surface before turning back to Tanaka, who was holding a very comically serious expression as he sat crossed legged and floating in the water. He almost looked like he was meditating, Ennoshita thought. At least temporarily. A large bubble popped of Tanaka’s nose, and apparently he found that funny, because a whole hoard of bubbles followed afterwards as his concentration was lost as he let loose his air in favor of laughing. Ennoshita didn’t know why, but he started laughing too, maybe because the sight of so many bubbles coming out of Tanaka’s nose and mouth was kind of weirdly hilarious. 

_“Come on, toss!”_

The distorted sounds of laughter and voices echoed down to Ennoshita’s and Tanaka’s positions underneath the water. They had managed to control their laughter at this point, enough for to Tanaka mouth the word ‘volleyball’ to him from across the way. He mouthed an ‘oh’ in return, not really understanding. Honestly, Ennoshita hadn’t been paying attention. He was a bit more focused on his aching lungs. Shit, he might actually lose this. 

_“Are you sure?”_

_“Yes! Why are you not? This isn’t the first time we’ve done this, Tobio.”_

Tanaka’s face screwed up weirdly. He looked off behind Ennoshita, squinting a bit, and then shrugged. When he looked back at Ennoshita he made a moving motion that Ennoshita didn’t understand, so he furrowed his brows.

_“I don’t want you to get hurt –“_

_“Water isn’t going to hurt me you big baby. Now, toss me!”_

_“Ok, ok.”_

Tanaka made the motion again, but with more vigor, like he was trying more forcefully to explain himself. He mouthed a sentence, but Ennoshita couldn’t catch all the words. His lungs were killing him. He wanted to throw in the towel; winning didn’t really matter so much anymore.

_“One, two, three!”_

Someone let out an excited scream, and it sort of reminded Ennoshita of the screams people let out when they ride amusement park rides. There was a splash, a plunge, and pain – it came like a hammer to his head, and as soon as he felt the collision, Ennoshita saw black.

* * *

He couldn’t see anything, but he felt the pressure, heard the sounds. His chest ached like something else, like the entire weight of the world had sat itself right on top of him. His ears were ringing, and that hurt too, he thought he might get a massive headache from that if he didn’t already have one. There was a throbbing in the back of his skull; it pounded and pulsed. Was he breathing? He wasn’t sure. Frankly, he wasn’t sure what _this_ was. Did he die, was he dy _ing_ , was this hell? 

There was something. It sounded muffled. Dreadfully so. Perhaps a sort of murmur or a whisper trapped behind a thick concrete wall. He strained to hear.

Something was warm. Him? Yes. He was warm. His face, his cheeks, his nose, his mouth, his chest – all warm. 

Through the black, came the first streak of white.

_“– blow in –“_

_“–sorry!”_

_“– calm–“_

And they faded. The chaos in his ears grew louder. Distinctly, he knew what he heard around him was people. Voices. Calling out, crying, speaking. It’d be nice if it wasn’t so loud.

There was green, he could see it. Trees. It looked blurry and frankly quite awful, but it was such a lovely color in comparison to black or white. 

_“– eyes are open!”_

_“– blow in –“_

Something pressed against his lips. He didn’t care to register what it was; he just knew that when it did, he felt air inside him again. He gasped harshly, and coughed violently. It hurt. Colors filled his vision as he expelled the water from his lungs. Someone placed a steady hand on his back as he rasped for air. 

“He’s breathing!”

“Holy shit, I was having a fucking heart attack.”

“Nice work on CPR, Tanaka.”

“Ah, it was Koushi, really. He was guiding me.”

Someone knelt beside him, and he focused blearily on their face, the swell of their stomach. “You doing alright now? You gave us all a big scare.” He didn’t say anything. “I’m going to ask you some questions just to make sure you don’t have a concussion, okay?” He didn’t nod. “Can you tell me your name?”

He paused. “Chikara. Ennoshita Chikara.”

“Good. What day is it?”

“August 2nd.”

“And do you know where you are?”

“…A lake. On the Sulian Island.”

“Alright, that’s great. Thank you, Chikara.” Koushi turned to look at Daichi. “He doesn’t seem to have any memory loss which is good, but I still think it would be wise to take him to the hospital to be examined for head trauma.” 

“Got it. I’ll take him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did not know how to end this chapter lol
> 
> Thanks to everyone who commented last chapter and gave their opinions! I really appreciated the feedback and it was interesting seeing the variations in thought. After thinking about it some more I decided I’m going to keep using the terminology I have already in place. To me it makes sense from a biological perspective, if you have carried and given birth to a child by definition you are a mother. Then there’s the fact that this is a different society, and the social constructs we are so used to are just not the same here. Sulian society breaks our conventions and expectations of whom and what a mother/father should be and be like, and that breaking of conventional norms that we are so familiar with is a running theme in this story. I appreciate how one user (Kairacahra1869) pointed out Ennoshita’s and Yachi’s roles in this – they are brought face to face with things that are different on the daily and they accept it as different, sometimes strange, but they know that this is simply how these people live.
> 
> Sulian Vocab:  
>  _alusta_ : barrier; barricade; blockade


	12. That's Just How It Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yet perhaps it was wrong of him to feel such a way, whatever this feeling was. If it was repulsion, wasn’t that wrong? He came to this place with an open mind, and yet now he was so quick to close it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _backstreet's back, alright_

There was something oddly calming about the sterile smell of the hospital. It carried a certain familiarity through all the wafting antiseptics and the permeating scent of eucalyptus. Normally something like that would remind Ennoshita of needles and blood and gross sick people, but this time it only served to relax him. Hospitals were no different here, it seemed, and that was just a little piece of home that he could relate to and be at ease with. 

The waiting room wasn’t packed, but it wasn’t desolate either. Two women sat across from where Daichi and Ennoshita reclined, one of them was pregnant, and the other had her hand clasped within the former’s and a look of unadulterated enthusiasm plastered on her face. Sitting on some chairs against the wall opposite them was a father and a young girl who seemed to be dehydrated, as her face was flushed and her hands shook around the cup of water she was holding. A tall man was up by the front desk with his left arm hugged against his chest in a sling and signing release papers with his right. 

A set of metal doors to the right of the check-in desk opened, and a man stepped out into waiting room with a clipboard. “Sawamura,” he called out.

Daichi stirred. He patted Ennoshita on the shoulder beside him, who took his time in getting to his feet. Daichi kept a steady hand on Ennoshita’s back as he walked them over to where the doctor stood, waiting patiently. 

“Didn’t expect to see your name on the list,” he said. 

Daichi glanced up in surprise. “I guess I didn’t expect to see you either, Keiji.”

Keiji shrugged and started down the hall. “You know I work here.”

Keiji lead them down the linoleum floors of the hallway until they came to the room they’d use for the check-up. He brought them inside, and gestured for Ennoshita to sit on the padded table against the wall. Daichi took up a chair next to Ennoshita, and Keiji sat at a small desk and adjusted the height of the wick in the kerosene lamp that sat on the desk. The flame burned brightly and cast a warm glow about the room.

Keiji flipped through some papers on his clipboard. “So, Ennoshita Chikara, is it?”

“Yes,” he replied wearily.

“And you’re a beta?” Keiji gave him a long look. “You have a remarkably subdued scent, even for a beta. Honestly I can’t say I smell anything at all…” 

Ennoshita stiffened at Keiji’s words, and then sent a subtle glance towards Daichi. Just what had he written on that form? 

“H-He’s got a condition,” Daichi chimed in. Keiji turned his eye towards the alpha, curiosity in his eyes despite his stoic demeanor. He raised a brow at Daichi as if to urge him to continue. “T-There’s uh, a problem with his glands. They don’t produce a scent like they should. Sorry, but the name of it is escaping me –“

“ _Myrios animos_ , is what you’re looking for,” Keiji cut in. “The ducts of the scent glands that normally allow pheromones and other secretions to pass through have either shrunken or become clogged, which makes it impossible for any scent to pass through.” He sent Ennoshita an almost sympathetic look, and the male in question found that made him wildly uncomfortable. 

Daichi laughed nervously. “Ah, well, that would be it!”

Keiji simply let out a quiet hum in return and glanced at Ennoshita again. He scrutinized the human’s appearance, forcing Ennoshita to shift under his watchful gaze. After several more moments of harsh scrutiny, he glanced back at his papers. “And the problem today is…possible head injury?”

“Right.”

Keiji looked at him again curiously. “Any memory loss? Dizziness? Vomiting? Confusion? Blackouts?”

Ennoshita thought. “Well, I blacked out for… a bit…I think?”

“He was out for a less than a minute,” Daichi interjected. “We were all swimming and a member of my pack collided with him. He was underwater at the time, having a breathing contest with another of my pack members.”

Keiji nodded. “Well, that wouldn’t have helped you. The lack of air likely contributed to the blackout.” He looked back at Ennoshita. “Any other symptoms?”

“Uh,” Ennoshita gaped. “I was a bit dazed when I woke up, but I could recall things okay. I’m still a little groggy.” Keiji hummed thoughtfully. 

“I’m going to do a few tests to see if your nervous system’s been affected, alright?”

Ennoshita nodded whilst Keiji stood and walked over to him. Keiji had him look at a distant chart to assess his visual condition, which was fine aside from some difficulty as the letters got smaller further down. He then tested Ennoshita’s muscle strength and sensitivity by having Ennoshita grip on his fingers or push up on his arms. Ennoshita also stood for a few balance tests and passed relatively okay, then was tested on his reflexes and coordination. Afterwards he was free to sit back down and was given the final diagnosis on his condition from Keiji.

“At most, you might have a mild concussion,” Keiji said. “Take it easy for a while and don’t do anything that might cause further trauma. Keep an eye out over the next few days to make sure your symptoms don’t get any worse or new ones crop up. If something does become worse, come right back here.” 

“Okay. Thank you.” Ennoshita tipped his head in Keiji’s direction as he and Daichi made their move towards the door. 

“Oh and by the way,” Keiji called out, “there’s certain therapy for your gland condition.” He stole a glance at Ennoshita whose posture had stiffened and palms grown sweaty. “Sometimes it’s a matter of hormones, other times it’s the skin around the glands themselves. I can give you some papers on it, if you’re interested?” His eyes narrowed. “Unless I take it that it’s not so much of a problem after all?”

“A-Ah uh, that’s really great news actually!” Daichi interjected. “That would be great if you could give us those…uh…yeah.”

Keiji pursed his lips at Daichi before turning away to a file cabinet and pulling out a manila folder. He flipped through some papers inside it before pulling one in particular out and holding it out for Ennoshita to look at. “Something to consider,” he said, eying Ennoshita with an unyielding interest. It took all of Ennoshita’s willpower not to shudder under Keiji’s gaze. His stare allowed the idea that perhaps he had a perceptive knowledge of the situation held beneath the guise of professionalism. 

“Well, again, thank you for all your help.” Daichi shook Keiji’s hand quickly, and then turned to shuffle Ennoshita out of the room. Ennoshita couldn’t help but feel unnerved as he walked down the hall with the heavy feeling of eyes boring into his back. 

* * *

At this point, Ennoshita was an expert in handling apologetic people. A few nods of the head, simple assurances that relationships hadn’t been damaged, and relative placating gestures was typically what it took to stave off the bombardment of guilt thrown at him from the most recent offenders. Distantly, Ennoshita wondered if the entire study was going to be littered with occurrences like this. After all, he had sort of come to realize that the pack was just a knit group of chaotic people.

The gaps and fuzziness in his memory was filled in amongst all of this. Koushi took the time to sit down and walk him through everything that had happened, from the moment he was knocked unconscious to the moment he had finally awoken. Shouyou had collided with Ennoshita while he was underwater, and he sank quickly. Thankfully, Tanaka had been there and was able to pull him out of the water and up to dry ground before the situation turned worse, and was able to administer CPR.

The reality of what had happened hit him like a train. 

Tanaka had kissed him. Inadvertently maybe, but… _still._

It was…weird. He had been kissed by a Sulia. Should he feel grossed out in some way? Should he be upset? Was it acceptable to kiss someone of a different species than you? What would people back home think, knowing something like that had happened?

Ennoshita supposed it was a bit strange to hyperfocus on that aspect of the situation when it really shouldn’t matter at all. Tanaka had helped to save his life, he should be thankful, not nitpicky about something so minute. Tanaka clearly wasn’t freaking out about it, and no one else seemed to be either, so Ennoshita was the only weird one here. 

Even still, he couldn’t help but press his fingers against his lips and feel like he had been changed in some way, as though a kiss could do that to someone so easily. Looking back on his reflection in the mirror, he felt an odd feeling settle into his stomach. 

Was he changed or tainted? Perhaps…is that what this feeling was? Disgust?

He didn’t know. It felt unfamiliar. 

Yet perhaps it was wrong of him to feel such a way, whatever this feeling was. If it was repulsion, wasn’t that wrong? He came to this place with an open mind, and yet now he was so quick to close it? Perhaps it might be something Ennoshita wasn’t comfortable with, but that didn’t make it okay to despise Tanaka for doing it when the other man probably didn’t want to either. Besides, these were Ennoshita’s friends; he really ought not to be so bothered by all this.

Why did this matter so much to him?

Thinking about it was bothering his head, so he had to lie down for a while. Daichi said he already should have been, considering the accident and possibility of concussion, he needed to rest and relax as much as possible now. He passed out for a few hours and only awoke when Yachi came in to check on him, and by then the sun was low. 

Yachi knelt on the floor and sat her elbows on the down comforter. “How are you feeling?”

Ennoshita tipped his head to the side to look at her, and shrugged lamely. “Physically? I dunno, fine I guess. Tired, maybe. You just woke me up.”

“Yeah, sorry.” 

“It's fine. Someone had to.”

“Are you hungry at all? It’s almost dinner.”

“Oh. Yeah. I could use some.” Ennoshita looked at the door, which was slightly ajar and spilling in a slight ray of light. “Do I have to come out there?”

“Um…I’m not really the one to ask that.” Yachi looked at him curiously. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

Ennoshita chewed on his lip, still staring at the doorway. After a moment, he glanced back towards Yachi and swallowed thickly. “Do you think it’s weird that Tanaka kissed me?” he tentatively asked. His teeth dug into the fleshly muscle inside of his cheek.

Yachi seemed taken aback at his words, confused, even. Her brows flew upwards, and then bunched up closely together near her eyes. “When did that happen?”

“At the lake.”

“You count mouth-to-mouth as a kiss?”

“Isn’t putting your mouth on someone else’s mouth technically a kiss?”

Yachi opened her mouth, and then closed it, embarrassed. “W-Well, I guess so…but I don’t think he meant it that way…”

“But do you think it’s weird?”

Yachi seemed at a loss for what to say. She gaped at Ennoshita, floundering. “B-But…it wasn’t like that…” She looked at him closely. “Is it weird to you?”

Ennoshita paused. He averted his gaze to the fibers in his cotton sheets and started picking at a frayed end with his fingers. The taste of iron was in his mouth, and it only added to the queasy feeling in his stomach. “I don’t know. Maybe. It bothers me a little. I don’t know why though.”

Yachi’s brows knit together once again. “W-What for? He saved your life…”

“I don’t know why, Yachi. It’s just sitting in my stomach for some reason.”

She didn’t respond right away, but sat, contemplating her reply. “You should really think about why it bothers you so much,” she finally said. “I truly hope you don’t hate him for it, because he did that out of the kindness of his heart. Everyone cares about us here. I think they’d hate to know your upset about this.”

“I don’t even know why it bothers me, Yachi,” Ennoshita continued. “I just…I can’t stop thinking about it. I can’t stop thinking about the fact that he…he kissed me. I don’t even think I’m really mad about it, I just can’t get it off my mind.”

“You sound infatuated.”

Ennoshita jolted. “What did you say?”

Yachi reddened. “U-Um…just…a lot of what you were saying sounded like something someone says when they like someone a lot.”

Ennoshita couldn’t even muster a reply in his defense, for Yachi bolted from the room before his mind even had a moment to fully comprehend her sentence. As her words gestated inside his head, his feeling of sickness grew ever more. 

* * *

When the weekend finally came around, there was a knocking on the den’s door. Daichi was the one to answer, opening to find Ukai shoving a letter in his hands and barely saying hello before the man was gone faster than the wind. Daichi couldn’t help but stand stunned for a moment, blinking at the partially crushed envelope in surprise before collecting himself and heading back inside. His eyes trail over the seal, and then follow the smooth penmanship that spells out a name on the front: Hitoka.

He sought out the girl in question, and found her sitting on one of the couches in the gathering room, her laptop open and sitting on top of her legs. “Were you expecting a letter from someone?” Daichi asked her.

She looked back at Daichi. “Oh! I think so!” Yachi scrambled to her feet and Daichi passed the letter over to her. “I believe it’s from my mom.” She broke the envelope’s seal and flipped the top flap open, and her fingers reached inside to pull out a neatly folded piece of paper. She fumbled in opening it due to her nervousness, her fingers shaking slightly as she drank in the finely printed words.

 

_My dearest Hitoka,_

_I love hearing from you again. You had me paranoid for a while when all of your calls suddenly stopped coming. I feared the worst. You frightened me even more when I learned you were no longer in your dorm. I suppose a part of me still didn’t want to believe anything you said. I still sometimes don’t. Truthfully, I dislike the whole thing. That’s not a place to be, and this sort of thing is something you shouldn’t be caught up in. I can’t understand how it is you are able to live around beasts like that. But I suppose it’s just another animal for you to study. You always loved learning about those kinds of things._

_While I do suppose I ought to owe you an apology for prying as far into your business as I did before you left, it was a necessary measure I had to take. You are my only daughter; I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to you. I wanted to know everything, I still do want to know everything, but your odd little professor has informed me it’s not as easy as I wish it to be. He has some gall, that man.  
_

_Everyone is fascinated by this, back home. I know I was a large contribution to the fast spread of news, but really, it’s quite shocking how big it’s gotten. I believe some reporters tried to follow after you once you left the mainland, but they were stopped before they got too far. They’re policing the beaches now, afraid someone else will be stupid enough to pursue you. No one wants to strain relations between our kind and theirs anymore than they already are. Everyone’s got it in their heads that if anyone else tries to push what you’ve created any further, then conflict will break out. I don’t think anyone wants to be responsible for another war._

_I do hope you are eating well and are staying rested. Please tell me you aren’t holed up in a cave somewhere, I don’t think my heart could take it if I knew you were living in conditions like that. I’d appreciate it if you could take some photos of things over there – you know, where you’re staying, what you’re eating, one of those ‘Sulia’ things, perhaps, and anything else you’d like. I left you something for that, so please use it. I figured you wouldn’t want to send me any of your SD cards since they’re quite important for you right now, so I left you one to use just for me. Pop it back in another envelope for me once you’re done._

_I love you dearly, Hitoka. This whole thing has me wishing you would come home right now so I could hug you and tell you straight just how important you are to me. Be safe for me, Hitoka. I worry everyday just knowing that you are over there with people who have no common decency. Come home safely and soon._

_-Mom_

 

Yachi’s stomach twisted uncomfortably as she finished the final words. She was overjoyed to hear from her mother, and she supposed she should have expected words like this. A great many people thought in the same way her mother did. People still looked down on the Sulia in many ways - their minds filled with biases and misconceptions. Yachi knew these sorts of thoughts had always existed, she had heard harsh words against the Sulia ever since she was young. Kids in school would call them all kinds of names and shared horror stories about them based upon what little knowledge they knew. She remembered hearing them speak in hushed tones about a savage people that bit into each other’s flesh with sharp fangs and tore off skin with their claws. They were creatures who fought each other in barbaric ways over trivial matters, and would kill if you even looked at them the wrong way. Such stories used to scare her so much that she wouldn’t sleep at night sometimes, too scared of the monster-like depictions that worried her into believing that someday they might just cross the ocean and come to eat her. Yachi felt foolish, thinking back on that.

Ennoshita and Yachi were the only ones who knew the truth. 

It especially hurt to read ignorance when the words came from her mother. The Sulia were not beasts, nor were they the animals her mother thought them to be. They were people – kind people with hearts and minds and dreams and hopes for the future. They had a whole unique and fascinating culture and way of life to be admired and treasured for what it was. They shouldn’t be demonized or viewed in such a dispassionate, detached light. 

Yachi had changed a great deal in her short time here. She viewed this trip in a very different way than when she had first come. Her mother had one point – for a while it was very much just about the research to Yachi, and perhaps she too viewed the Sulia in a very subjective light, but that was only during the beginning of the study. She would no longer consider what she was doing to be research – that alone felt as though she was alienating the Sulia to be mere subjects to poke and prod and pull information from. To her, this had become a sharing of cultures opposed to a research expedition. It felt no different than one traveling to another part of the world to explore and learn about what life is like in a new country. 

It was sort of sickening to think that everyone else back on the mainland either saw the Sulia as animals or as lab specimens. Did no one else think that they were more then that?

Daichi came back into the room. “Did you get a nice letter from your mother?”

“O-Oh,” Yachi folded the letter quickly, the paper wrinkling in her rush to hide her mother’s words. “I-It was just fine! She just misses me and wants to know more about things over here! I h-have to take some photos to show her.”

Daichi nodded. “Well, that sounds nice. You should show her the den. I bet she’d like to see that.” 

“Ah, yeah!” Yachi fished through the envelope to find the empty SD card her mother had mentioned. She didn’t know why her hands were trembling so much. She escaped to the guest room to look for her camera, and placed the new card into her device. She snapped a photo of the guest room, making sure everything looked neat and tidy before she did so. She took a few more photos of the interior of the den, such as inside the gathering room or kitchen. She stepped outside to take one of the den’s exterior, the hot air slapping her hard across the face as she walked into the front garden. She felt nervous about doing this, for she was worried that the accommodations wouldn’t meet her mother’s standards. She wanted so desperately for her mother to like the Sulia in the same way she did.

Her nervousness escalated to a whole new level as she pondered taking photos of her host family. She didn’t want to fear her mother’s opinions, but it was difficult when she so wanted to sway her mother in a direction of appreciation. 

Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately, she bumped into Shouyou while in the midst of her musings. She sputtered an apology before she caught him looking at the camera in her hands with a certain gleam in his eye. 

“Are you taking pictures, Yachi?” he asked in excitement. 

“U-Uh…yeah…”

“Take one of me!” Shouyou pointed to his face as he spoke. “You have to remember me somehow, don’t you?”

She nodded hesitantly and held up her camera. “W-Well, I guess I could…”

Shouyou bounced up. “Hold on! Lemme get Tobio!” He scurried out of the room before she could speak, and came barreling back in a matter of moments with his hand tugging his mate along. “Take a picture of the two of us!”

“A picture?” Tobio questioned.

“Yeah! Yachi needs mementos!”

“I guess so…”

Yachi gulped at the two of them. “J-Just pose, I guess.”

Shouyou flashed a smile while he and Tobio got into position. He hugged his arms around Tobio’s midsection while the alpha placed an arm over Shouyou’s shoulders. The omega poked his mate until a small smile appeared on the alpha’s lips, and Yachi snapped her photo. She took another for good measure, the camera shutter going off at the same moment Tobio decided to place a kiss on top of Shouyou’s head.

“T-Thanks you two!” Yachi smiled back at the pair. She turned her attention back to the camera to check the photos, flipping through the ones she had taken until she came across Shouyou and Tobio’s. She smiled at the first one. It had really come out well. The pair were hugging each other tightly. Shouyou was a bright ray of sunshine, his face all smiles, and Tobio's lips seemed to be turned up slightly as well. She flipped to the second, expecting it to look the same, and faltered as she saw it. It also had come out well. Shouyou was beaming against the kiss, his arms still coiled around Tobio’s middle as his mate’s lips pressed against his forehead. The photo just looked like two people in love, but Yachi felt nervous presenting this to her mother. She didn’t know her mother’s feelings on these types of relationships. If her mother had reservations, she might become upset over this even though Shouyou and Tobio’s relationship wasn’t considered the same way in the Sulian culture. To Sulia, it was the epitome of normality. 

Her finger hovered over the ‘delete’ button. 

She pressed it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have returned…
> 
> I apologize for this being a little short – this is a rewrite and I just wanted to finish quickly, so I didn't detail as much as I might normally. See, several things kept me from updating and while I could give you the whole story, really the most important problem that happened was I lost my files for this story. All the chapters I had started are gone and I can’t even begin to tell you how upset I am. I lost a lot of my drive because of that but I’m not giving up because I really love this story. I just might need more time in between updates because of what I lost. I don’t even have my notes anymore, so I have to rely on memory going forward.
> 
> Sulian Vocab:  
>  _myrios_ : scent, smell, aroma  
>  _animos_ : absence


	13. Future Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yamaguchi had spoken nothing but truth, but there was still worry nestled deep in the corners of his mind. It was a deep rooted worry that had latched itself into his consciousness years ago, and it was fully and utterly irrational. He trusted Yamaguchi, he had known the omega ever since he was a child, and he knew Yamaguchi was loyal and committed to this relationship. But he still feared something that would never be a threat to him. He felt brainwashed thinking he’d only end up like his brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooooo I thought I was gonna update sooner but nope! I’ll try not to take like two months next time~

Finally, practice once again resumed as normal. Daichi was praying under his breath that they wouldn’t run into anything else that would keep the team from training and preparing for this year’s annual Harvest Festival. In addition to the festival being a celebration of a good harvest and amiable weather conditions, the event was also the feature of many different autumn activities, one of which was the Athletic Tournament. 

The Tournament was a huge event. It was a chance for teams from all different categories to show their athletic prowess and have a chance at different prizes. Winning the cup in your team’s category was a sign of strength and honor. People would fawn over the feats of skill and athletic thew that the players expressed, and placed bets over which team they thought would win the cup. It was an event purely for entertainment in the eyes of the common people, but to those participating, it was a chance to declare themselves the elite to other teams or packs and reap the benefits of prizes awarded to them.

In the past, the Tournament was a different kind of scene. Many years ago, instead of an event centered on friendly rivalry, it was a violent duel between alphas and alpha packs. In a similar fashion to today’s Tournament, it was an event to showcase strength and claim honor, but the end reward wasn’t anything like those offered today. Winning could earn someone a higher place in society, land, wealth, or an omega. An omega for a prize was especially common to win after the Great War practically eliminated them all. But things weren’t like that anymore. It was no longer the alpha-exclusive brawl that perpetuated violence and lessened omegas to nothing more than property. Nowadays, the Tournament was a friendly event for anyone to attend and open to anyone of any orientation to participate in. 

Like any of the other teams involved, Daichi wanted his pack to win. The festival didn’t start until mid-September, but that didn’t mean there was any time for slacking off. If they wanted to win, they had to work hard to get there. 

“Anyone know what the prize is this year?” Asahi asked.

“No idea,” Daichi replied, “The committee probably hasn’t announced what’s up for grabs yet.”

“I hope it’s something really good,” Tanaka said, “Like food.”

Daichi sighed. “Yes Tanaka, there will probably be some kind of food included.” 

“It is the Harvest Festival after all,” Asahi interjected.

Ennoshita watched the chatting group with some interest. “Prizes? What kinds of prizes do you get for winning?” he asked.

“Oh, it could be any number of things,” Daichi answered, “Sometimes it’s a monetary reward, sometimes it’s something material. It’s pretty typical to include some kind of food in with the other prizes as well, something that can help sustain a pack, like fruits, vegetables, salted meats, or wheat.”

“Last year, they gave away a bunch of musical instruments,” Tanaka stated, his expression forlorn.

“Tanaka, you can’t even play a musical instrument.”

“So? I still wanted them!” Tanaka pouted. He leaned in closer to Ennoshita, whispering loudly, “In case you can’t tell, we lost that one.”

Ennoshita swallowed at the alpha’s closeness. Now that Yachi had given him the revelation that he might be attracted to Tanaka, he couldn’t help but flush at their proximity. “W-what a shame…” he choked out, leaning away slightly.

“Alright, let’s stop focusing on the past if you want to have any hopes of winning.” Daichi crossed his arms, facing his team. “I expect all of you to work your hardest this year! We’re going to show the other packs just what we can do!”

“Yes sir!” everyone replied with enthusiasm.

With Daichi’s orders, the team got to practicing. His specific orders were for everyone to focus on improving whatever they were the worst at, so everyone had paired up and began working on improving their skills. 

“So, does the team win very often at this tournament?” Yachi asked Kiyoko as they watched from the sidelines.

“Well, it’s hard to say,” Kiyoko began, contemplating it, “There have been a few victories, but just like we improve, so too do the other teams. The competition gets better every year.” 

“I take it there are a lot of talented teams who participate?”

“Oh, most definitely.” Kiyoko nodded. “We most often play against Nekoma and Fukurodani, and Aoba Jousai goes every year. They’re some tough competition.”

“Sounds scary.”

“It’s all in good fun,” Kiyoko said, smiling. “It’s not like anyone will be losing any limbs nowadays like the old time Tournament used to see regularly.”

“L-L-Lose limbs!?” Yachi stuttered heavily, her skin flushing a sickly pale just at the thought of someone losing a part of their body. “Oh my gosh, that’s so awful!” 

Kiyoko chuckled behind her hand. “That doesn’t happen anymore. Everyone will leave the tournament with their bodies intact, I can assure you.”

“Ohhh no, no, no! This sounds way scarier now!” Yachi panicked, practically ignoring Kiyoko’s words completely. “I didn’t know this was so risky!”

“It’s not really,” Kiyoko placated, “It _used_ to be scary and worrying to watch, but it’s just a simple athletic competition now. No more duels, no more damage. Just something fun to partake in.”

Yachi let out a heavy breath, her whole body sagging with the motion. “I certainly _hope_ so! No one should get hurt…”

Kiyoko laughed again. “You’re awfully cute, Yachi-san.”

Yachi reddened quickly and her shoulders bunched up. “C-C-Cute??!! You t-think I’m cute?” He mouth gaped at the idea. How could someone as pretty as Kiyoko think that _she_ , Yachi Hitoka, was _cute_?!? It didn’t make any sense at all.

“Well sure,” Kiyoko said simply. Yachi felt like she was going to explode.

Just about then, Ennoshita appeared suddenly by her side, looking panicked. “Yachi,” Ennoshita begged, “Oh my god, Yachi, he won’t _stop_.”

She blinked at him, then Kiyoko, then Ennoshita again. “Who?”

 _“Tanaka,”_ he said under a hushed breath.

“W-What won’t he stop?”

“Staring at me!” Ennoshita hissed. He glanced back nervously in the direction of the court. “He keeps staring at me with this _face_!” He suddenly gripped Yachi’s shoulder hard. “Look! Look! He’s doing it now!”

She turned, fearful, her eyes scanning the court until they landed on Tanaka. He was smiling in their direction, his eyes all crinkled up with happiness, and he even sent a little wave their way once he noticed they were looking. Yachi felt Ennoshita duck behind her tiny form at the gesture, and her brows furrowed in confusion. “He looked happy Enno, I don’t understand what’s going on here.”

“That’s the thing! Why is he so freaking happy when he’s looking at me?” Ennoshita blurted, sounding exasperated. He looked around nervously, and even Yachi couldn’t help but think he was acting really kind of ridiculous. “What the fuck is going on?”

Her mind blanked. “Um… that was a bad word…” 

“Plan my funeral, Yachi. Plan my fucking funeral because I’m dead, I’m so dead.” 

Yachi paled once again. She panicked quickly, holding tightly to Ennoshita’s arm, pleading. “Oh no… D-Don’t die, Ennoshita! I need you for the project, I can’t do this alone!”

“It’s probably good if you don’t talk about dying around Yachi-san, Ennoshita-san.” Kiyoko offered politely. “She’s awfully skittish.” 

Ennoshita ignored her. “I’m gonna go hide in the bathroom,” he whispered, and then snuck off away from the gym. 

After that event practice passed by pretty quickly, as Yachi kept herself occupied by talking with Kiyoko while Ennoshita did his best not to combust over the looks Tanaka had kept sending him the entire time practice went on. Soon enough though, everyone was slumped on the benches or on the floor as Daichi finished off practice with a few closing words to the team. 

As soon as he had sat himself on the bench, Shouyou slumped against Tobio’s shoulder, a heavy breath leaving him. For the entirety of practice he had struggled to keep up, as his body was burdened with a weighty lethargy. Now that practice was done and his body thoroughly tired out, he just wanted to go home a take a nap. Daichi was saying something to the group, but Shouyou couldn’t be bothered to listen. His eyes fluttered, threatening to close, before a gentle shake roused him.

“What’s going on with you?” Tobio questioned, his voice laced with a quiet concern that he seemed to only share with Shouyou. “You’re never this sluggish at practice.”

Shouyou shrugged, yawning. “I’m fine. I’m just tired, okay?”

Tobio frowned. Almost instantly he switched to his ‘super concerned and relatively confused’ mode, battering Shouyou with hushed questions. “That’s not like you at all. You sure you’re okay? Did you sleep poorly last night? Did something bother you?”

“I told you, I’m _fine_ ,” Shouyou replied, his voice clipped, “And no. I slept just fine.”

Tobio’s brow crinkled at the omega’s tone, and he pursed his lips. “But that’s really weird for you, and I just want to know why–” 

“Just let it go, Tobio,” Shouyou interrupted through clenched teeth. “Everyone has their off days. Get off my case.” He shoved away from his mate’s shoulder, no longer desiring the physical contact. Shouyou didn’t know why, but he just felt _really_ pissed off. He was pissed off at Tobio specifically, but there honestly wasn’t a reason for him to be angry with his mate. Tobio hadn’t done anything wrong. Yet Shouyou’s mind still wanted him to be angry at the alpha because he was the best target for his anger, he was closest to Shouyou, and was the only one from the pack Shouyou would feel okay with yelling at. He knew Tobio was confused at his behavior, it was written all over the alpha’s face, but Shouyou was confused too! And it was so fucking frustrating!

“Well, that about wraps it up for today.” Daichi clapped his hands together, startling Shouyou and forcing him to rouse. “You can all head out.”

At that, everyone slowly shuffled out of the gym and went off to do whatever they wished. Shouyou pushed himself off the bench with great effort, his legs screaming at him each time he took a step. His shoulders were hunched over, his body swaying with his movements. 

“You look like you’re about to pass out,” Tobio noted from beside him, his face wrought with concern. 

“Yeah.” Shouyou pouted, sighing, and then held his arms up towards his mate. “… Carry me home.” 

Tobio snorted under his breath, his lips upturning just the slightest bit, but he still crouched down in front of Shouyou, letting the omega climb onto his back. Shouyou’s arms were hung loosely around the alpha’s frame, his head cushioned between the juncture where Tobio’s neck met his shoulder. His legs went limp in Tobio’s strong hold, his whole body slumping heavily against Tobio’s back. 

“It’s a blessing that you’re so small,” Tobio said absentmindedly, but Shouyou didn’t reply. He was already out cold and breathing evenly against Tobio’s neck. Tobio found it endearing, but also worrying. Shouyou had always been energetic, even after practices were over he would still be bouncing with alacrity. He didn’t understand what had his mate so tired out, especially if Shouyou had been getting enough sleep. 

Once back home, he laid Shouyou down on their bed to rest. Looking down at the omega he couldn’t help but wonder just what it was that was plaguing him, and worry.

* * *

The week carried on. Practicing for the festival was at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Training was vigorous and lengthy. Yet to one person in particular, none of this seemed very important at all. He had found himself increasingly preoccupied with other thoughts. 

Tsukishima hadn’t stopped thinking about the words of his courted ever since he had returned from his expulsion. Yamaguchi had spoken nothing but truth, but there was still worry nestled deep in the corners of his mind. It was a deep rooted worry that had latched itself into his consciousness years ago, and it was fully and utterly irrational. He trusted Yamaguchi, he had known the omega ever since he was a child, and he knew Yamaguchi was loyal and committed to this relationship. But he still feared something that would never be a threat to him. He felt brainwashed thinking he’d only end up like his brother.

He loved Yamaguchi. He knew that Yamaguchi loved him as well. So he was still willing to try this. 

“Tadashi.” 

Yamaguchi turned to look at his courtmate, who was standing, hands in his pockets and his eyes trained on the omega. “Yes?”

“Let’s go out.”

“Out?”

Tsukishima pinned him with an ‘are you serious right now’ kind of look, and Yamaguchi could only give him a bashful smile in return. “A date,” the alpha finally clarifies, “I want to take you on a date.”

“Oh.” Inside, his heart is thrumming happily against his chest, jumping in leaps and bounds at Tsukishima’s words, because the satisfaction of knowing he’s wanted is enough to have his whole body warm and pulsating with affection for his courted. Yamaguchi could feel how round his cheeks got as he smiled wide, his eyes brimming with adoration. “I’ll go put on my shoes!”

Tsukishima watched the omega run off with vigor, and a small smile slinked onto his face. No doubts about it now. He could, and _would_ do this. 

He had a specific place in mind that he wanted to take Yamaguchi, so Tsukishima wasted little time getting them there. The place in question was in town, and a little bit of a walk from the den. It was a cozy little establishment, nestled snugly amongst the various other shops along the road. The path cut up through the rounded ground and was lined in by an enclosure of mossy rocks on either side, and shielded by an overgrowth of bushes and thinning trees. The rectangular building was made of weathered wood from years of exposure to the elements, but it only added to its charm. Frosted windows glowed with a yellowish light within the restaurant, signifying its occupancy. A glass wind chime rustled just above the door and a soft, melodious ringing followed its movement in the wind. A sign painted in black ink wrote the restaurant’s name across the clapboard front of the building.

The restaurant was filled with an inviting atmosphere. There was a bar to the left and a fireplace to the right while polished oak tables and cushioned leather seats crowded the space in between. Flickering oil lamps were sat in the center of the tables, lighting the room with warmth. The pair cozied themselves up in a booth, and flipped through the menu provided by their waitress. 

“It’s really nice getting out like this every now and then.”

“Mm.”

“I can still remember the first time we came here,” Yamaguchi reminisced, “You ordered the teriyaki chicken and I got the zaru soba. The entire lunch you were so quiet! I was so confused but, then you asked me if you could court me, and all your nervousness made sense.” He smiled softly to himself. “I just remember feeling so happy then, I had never thought we’d end up as more than friends, but you proved me wrong.” He chuckled. “I don’t think I ever would have had the guts to ask you to court me. You really saved me there.”

Tsukishima smiled from behind the cover of his menu. Yamaguchi’s enthusiasm and unwavering remembrance of that day warmed his heart. The waitress returned for their orders just then, and Tsukishima picked the first thing he saw off the menu in his rush to have her leave him alone with Yamaguchi. 

“So,” Yamaguchi began, “Any particular reason for this? N-Not that I mind, this is really nice and sweet of you, I’m just–”

“Stop,” Tsukishima interrupted. “You ramble when you’re nervous.”

“Ah, yeah, I know…”

Tsukishima ran his fingertip across the rim of his filled glass. “Don’t be nervous.” Yamaguchi ducked his head shyly, offering his courtmate a keen and timid smile. Tsukishima returned the gesture. He bit his lip before continuing, “I’ve had something on my mind lately.” Yamaguchi looked at him silently a moment, and then nodded his head for Tsukishima to continue. “I’ve been thinking about what you said to me.” 

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, “I suppose it just made me realize some things. I’m not… I’m not okay with the way I think. It’s destructive. I only seek out the worst in things and expect that to be the only outcome available. I know I don’t want to keep thinking that way, especially not when it comes to you, because I’m realizing that it’s only making me miserable.” He paused. “When I told you about my brother and everything that his troubles made me think, I just wanted you to understand what had me hesitant. I didn’t think about it when I said it, but after the fact I knew I had probably made you feel insecure. You’ve never been very confident in yourself, and I’m sorry if my worries made you doubt yourself even more. That’s not what I want. I didn’t want you to think that I didn’t trust you or saw you as a threat.”

“Kei…” Yamaguchi breathed.

“I _do_ trust you. You’re one of the few people I feel I can rely on,” Tsukishima continued, “I don’t want to take that for granted. I don’t want to push you away over something stupid. I want to have you here, all the time.” He let out a heavy breath. “That’s why… I think it’d be good to talk about becoming mates.”

“Oh wow…” Yamaguchi exhaled, his eyes wide. He sent his mate a yearning expression. “Yeah. I’d like that a lot. We should mate. Soon.” 

“… When then?”

Yamaguchi met the gaze of his courtmate, his gut fluttering at the thrill of the suggestion. “I… don’t know, really.” He scratched at his chin with his forefinger, a nervous gesture of his. “My heats are pretty irregular and my symptoms have never been very, um, noticeable… so I don’t know when my next one will hit.”

Tsukishima’s lips set in a firm line as he contemplated it. “It doesn’t have happen during heat to count though, right?” 

“Oh, um, technically no,” Yamaguchi replied. “It just makes it easier, I guess.”

“… Right,” Tsukishima supplied dryly. His fingers pushed his glasses further up his face, even though they weren’t falling down to begin with. He mindlessly counted the freckles on Yamaguchi’s arms in an attempt to distract himself from feeling moderately uncomfortable. “Would you want that?” he asked after a moment.

“W-Want what?”

“To mate in heat.”

“O-Oh um,” Yamaguchi bit his lip in thought. “I think that… I’ll be happy with whatever we do. I just want to be mated to you soon, no matter how we do it.” Shyly he looked back at Tsukishima’s wandering gaze, meeting with those amber eyes for just a moment, and both of them flushed at the contact. Yamaguchi could only wonder if things were this awkward for everyone else when they first decided to mate. “Would you, um, want that?”

Tsukishima paused, his mind running through the different scenarios. He could see it clearly, Yamaguchi’s body flushed pink with heat and beaded with sweat as he panted beneath him, his thighs soaked with slick and his body soft and pliable to Tsukishima’s touch. He’d beg deliriously to have Tsukishima inside him, beg to be knotted and claimed as his and _only his_. In heat, they could go as crazy as they liked and worry about the discomfort and consequences later. 

Without the haze of heat, however, they could be slow. There’d be no rush, no urgency to finish quickly; they’d have all the time they’d like to enjoy each other. Tsukishima could kiss every freckle on Yamaguchi’s skin, explore every untouched area, and rile him up enough so he was slicking, and Tsukishima could take him easily and without worry about discomfort on Yamaguchi’s part. Tsukishima swallowed – his mouth was dry. It probably wasn’t good to think about things like this in public. 

“I guess it doesn’t matter to me,” Tsukishima finally said, his mind clearing up. He took a drink to help soothe his parched throat. “I just want you to be comfortable.”

Yamaguchi smiled a little at that. He opened his mouth to say something when a very stark realization struck him. How could he have totally forgotten something so important? “Um… maybe heat isn’t the best idea…” he began cautiously, and Tsukishima eyed him curiously. Yamaguchi gave him a meaningful look. “Pups.”

“Oh.” That _was_ kind of important, wasn’t it?

“U-Unless you want to!” Yamaguchi burst. His face had turned red again. “I... I don’t have a problem with it…”

Tsukishima faltered at the thought. “Maybe not at first,” he replied softly. He didn’t want to worry his courtmate by scaring him into thinking he didn’t want pups, because he was pretty sure that’s exactly what happened with Shouyou and Tobio, and they ended up dancing around that topic for a _long_ time. Tsukishima wasn’t going to end up like those idiots. He wasn’t stupid about this. “In the future it’d be nice to have some, but I think to start, I want to enjoy some time as just the two of us, mated, and not worrying about parenthood yet.”

Yamaguchi nodded at his words, smiling softly. “Yeah… that sounds really nice actually. Just us.” 

Tsukishima smiled back at the omega. They were going to do this as it felt most natural to them, so when the moment felt right, they could take that step forward without hesitance. 

* * *

The hospital’s examination room was chilly. Inside, the Sawamura family was awaiting the return of the doctor with the final results of their routine checkup on Koushi’s pregnancy. Koushi was sitting on the examination table being mildly amused by his son’s energetic behavior. Hotaru was running around the room as fast as he could go on his tiny, inexperienced legs while Daichi watched on fretfully.

“Hotaru, don’t run around in here. I don’t want you crashing into things,” Daichi chastised.

Hotaru lowered his head in repentance and stopped his running. He instead walked over and climbed up onto the chair next to his father. “Sowwy, da.”

“It’s okay; I’d just hate to see you hurt yourself.” Daichi smiled as he ruffled the little one’s hair. “I’ll let you run around once we get outside, how’s that sound?”

“Good!” 

“Alrighty kiddo,” he laughed.

“You’ve got so much energy today, don’t you sweetie?” Koushi asked, smiling.

“I’m vewy happy!” Hotaru exclaimed, throwing his hands up in enthusiasm. “No shots!”

“No shots?” Koushi questioned, his head tipping to the side curiously. “Oh, sweetie, the doctor’s visit wasn’t for you. You don’t get your shots until October.” He chuckled.

“No!” Hotaru pouted. “No shots!”

“You’re such a goof.” Koushi laughed. “You’ve got a goof for a son, Daichi.”

“Oh no!” Daichi exclaimed sarcastically, “What will I ever do!” Koushi snorted at him.

The door opened, and the omega doctor reentered the room. She smiled at Koushi. “Well, good news! Your blood work looked great, you’ve been doing fantastic job getting all the nutrients you need and you’ve gained the right amount of weight for this trimester. The little one sounded just fine after my examination, so both of you are in perfect shape,” the doctor announced. “The due date is getting closer! Have you finished setting up your birth plan?”

“Oh, yes!” Koushi nodded, “As long as the rest of the pregnancy goes without trouble, we’ll be having another home birth with our midwife. I feel most at ease doing it there.”

“Oh, that’s quite normal.” The doctor smiled at the couple. “Omegas have always found birth to be easiest when in comfortable surroundings. The familiar scents, the environment, all of it make a birth far less stressful on the mother.” She collected her papers that held the results and discussion they had today and handed them off to Koushi to keep as a record of the checkup. “Well, everything seems to be in order! That’s perfect. I’ll be sure to be in contact with your midwife.” 

“Thank you so much!” Daichi and Koushi both waved at the doctor on the way out, and set up their next appointment at the front desk. “We’re looking good, eh?”

“ _Super_ good,” Koushi replied. His hand came to rest on his bulging stomach absentmindedly. “Before we know it, Hotaru’s little sibling will be here.” 

Daichi smiled proudly and kissed Koushi’s temple on the way out. “Can’t wait for it.” He took up Hotaru’s hand and lead the child down the street and back towards the den. “I bet you can’t wait either, can you Hotaru? A little sibling will be nice, huh?”

“Yes!” Hotaru replied, “I want ‘em to be super cute like Nawiko!”

“I’m sure they’ll be just as cute as Nariko, sweetie,” Koushi chuckled. They walked the rest of the way back home, and Koushi savored every minute. Walks were great for pregnancy; they allowed him to exercise without straining his body and were super helpful during labor to really get things going. It was wonderful to be out in the fresh air and do some good for his body. From their den to town it was about a twenty minute walk, but before they knew it they were already through the front door.

“We’re home!” Daichi called out. A few replies in greeting from different places in the den sounded out. “I think the others are still out hunting,” Daichi remarked to Koushi.

“Probably. It sounds a little to empty in here.”

As soon as the last word had left Koushi's mouth, there was a loud crash from the kitchen, startling the little family and bringing Hotaru to whimpering tears at being frightened. Daichi lifted the boy up into his arms to soothe him and shared worried looks with Koushi. They both rushed into the kitchen to find the source of the noise and faltered at what they saw. Inside, Shouyou lay collapsed on the floor, his hair fanned wildly against his face while sharp pieces of a broken glass lay shattered around his limp body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol that shit got real super fast
> 
> How are you all? I’ve missed you guys something awful. I hope you all are doing good. <3
> 
> I have a little question I wanted to address here that I got on the last chapter. I wanted everyone to see my response so you're all informed. I was asked what the difference between betas and humans is in my story, because generally most Omegaverse fics view betas as normal humans. That doesn't work here, obviously, because there is a separation between humans and the Sulia. Betas are generally of a peaceable nature. In a sense, they are the bridge between alphas and omegas - a lesser extreme of both orientations. Whereas alphas are typically aggressive and dominate and omegas are seen as docile and submissive, betas stand at an equal ground between the two extremes. Like alphas or omegas, they are affected by the scent of heat or rut, respectively. Generally they are stronger than omegas but not as strong as alphas. Presentation-wise, one knows they are a beta when they go through a cold period, which is essentially the opposite of a heat or a rut (in the way that betas are a bit of both alphas and omegas, the two hot periods of heat and rut sort of cancel each other out and make something cold; it doesn't make sense logically but I tried to create a stupid reason for the cold flashes and that's it). They typically break out in shivers and seek warmth during the transition period to becoming a beta. In times like these, it's not uncommon for them to desire the warmth of an alpha or an omega for comfort. They will have a period of cold flashes about every six months, the same as an alpha and twice the regularity of an omega, whom wait three months in between their heats. Their scents are not as strong because they are not especially dominant or submissive, thus it will not be particularly striking. It's not invisible however, just slightly muted. Typically males are sires and females carriers, but there have been some rare cases where betas break this mold. I hope this helps! I honestly questioned this myself before this story started so I gave betas something to help define themselves.
> 
> Also, for anyone interested I made a [ writing blog ](http://shivers-writes.tumblr.com/)! There I’ll post when I expect to update next and also give previews into future chapters before they are posted here. Basically it’s just a place to see what I’m up to and a chance for you to talk with me! Check it out if you like!


	14. In Spite of All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was much too scared of the alternative, of this possibly being a chance coincidence. He couldn’t bear to see Shouyou work himself up only to be faced with disappointment. Shouyou had waited so long for this; Tobio didn’t want to risk his mate being hurt over not having something he had agonized over for a year and a half.
> 
> “I have,” Shouyou said, averting his gaze guiltily. 
> 
> “What do you mean?”
> 
> “I’ve kinda… been getting sick for the past few days.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I describe the act of vomiting in this chapter. If that bothers you, here’s your heads up.

Koushi knelt down beside Shouyou’s unconscious form. His palm pressed against Shouyou’s forehead, feeling for fever. It was crisply quiet in the room, save for Hotaru’s crying in the background over seeing Shouyou so lifeless. Down the hall were the sounds of footsteps rushing into the kitchen, and Yamaguchi and Yuu appeared around the corner, searching for the culprit behind the crash. They threw frantic questions Koushi’s way, only to fall silent as Koushi held up a hand for them to stop. Koushi’s fingers pushed against the Shouyou’s wrist, feeling for a pulse. 

“It’s slow,” Koushi commented, “He’s only fainted. Might’ve been the heat.” 

There were several collective sighs of relief. Hotaru however, continued to cry.

“Here, let’s get him onto his side in case he gets sick,” Koushi instructed, and both omegas helped carefully move Shouyou onto his side, wary of the broken glass. “Yamaguchi, can you grab a pillow from the gathering room please? Yuu, can you rinse a towel in some cold water?” They both nodded, and Koushi turned to Daichi as the others scurried off. “Help me clean up this glass, Dai.”

Daichi nodded mutely, placing Hotaru on one of the dining room chairs and shushing him. Hotaru sniffled, but the tears stopped falling. Daichi ruffled his hair and then turned to help his mate sweep up the shards of broken glass into the dustpan. “Looks like a cup,” the alpha remarked.

“Most likely. The shards are pretty thin.” 

Yamaguchi pattered back into the room, woven pillow in hand. He handed the item to Koushi. “Here.”

“Thank you.” Koushi lifted Shouyou’s head and stuck the pillow beneath it. 

“That’s all the glass,” Daichi announced, dumping the remains into the garbage. “He didn’t cut himself did he?”

Koushi ran his eyes over Shouyou’s body. “There’s a cut on his leg here, but thankfully it’s not bleeding too much. Can you get me something for this, Dai?” As Daichi left the room for some medical supplies, Yuu returned with the damp cloth. The cold cloth was pressed gingerly against Shouyou’s forehead, cooling the omega. “He should rouse soon. It’s almost been a minute.” Shouyou let out a groan then, and his brows crinkled together in discomfort. “It’s okay Shouyou,” Koushi soothed, his fingers touching Shouyou’s shoulder in a calming gesture. “Don’t try getting up yet, okay? I don’t want you fainting again.”

Daichi returned with some gauze and tape, handing both over to his mate. “How’s he doing?”

“He’s starting to wake up,” Koushi replied, and set to work cleaning and dressing the cut on Shouyou’s lower calf. Shouyou groaned again. “The glass cut your leg, Shouyou. I’m just fixing your wound for you, don’t worry.” Koushi wiped the slowly oozing blood from Shouyou’s leg clean and placed the gauze over the cut with care. He gently taped it down while Shouyou blinked his eyes open blearily. 

“Hey Shouyou!” Yuu leaned down next to the other omega. “How are you feeling?”

“Dizzy…” he groaned.

“Did the heat get to you?” Koushi asked. 

“N-no… not really…” Shouyou let out a breath, frowning. “I got like…super light-headed…”

“It came on you really suddenly, huh?”

“Yeah… when I got up from the chair.” Shouyou grimaced. “I just wanted some water… then it got all dark…”

Koushi pursed his lips. “You’ve been eating enough and hydrating yourself properly, right?”

“Yeah, yeah…”

“Hm.” Koushi glanced over the tiny omega once again, contemplating the cause of his fainting spell. If Shouyou was telling the truth, than it wasn’t heat exhaustion. The most likely cause was low blood pressure, but if Shouyou had been hydrated and had been getting enough nutrients, that wouldn’t happen. Yet it could have been fluctuating for other reasons. It made Koushi wonder. “Once you feel a bit better I think it’d be good for you to lie down for a while, get some rest.” 

Shouyou nodded in agreement, the idea of sleeping for a few hours sounding very pleasant. “I think I’m okay to get up.” 

“You sure?” Shouyou nodded again. “Well, let’s get you on your feet and see how you do.” 

Daichi took one arm while Koushi took the other, and together they helped Shouyou sit up. They gave him a minute to adjust to the movement, and after a moment Shouyou said it was fine to go further. They pushed to their feet, helping Shouyou along, and after another minute of adjustment the pair helped escort Shouyou to his bed. Shouyou got himself settled comfortably, and Koushi ordered him to get some sleep.

“What do you think happened?” Daichi asked as he and Koushi stepped away from the door to Shouyou’s room. 

“I have an idea in mind.” Koushi said simply, a knowing smile painted on his face.

“You gonna tell me?”

“No,” Koushi laughed. “I think it’d be best if everyone figures it out on their own.”

* * *

A ways away, the rest of the group was scouring the forested area for prey. Ennoshita and Yachi decided to tag along for the ride, though Yachi had her reservations over the whole thing; she wasn’t too thrilled about watching animals die. There was only dim light streaking through the layers of foliage above, glistening off the plains of verdant grasses, highlighting bark chipping off the trees, and making moss-covered stones look soft and spongy. 

The group trudged along through the thick underbrush, their skin tickled by the shrubbery. The pack members, Tsukishima, Tobio, and Tanaka, were wielding leather quivers and carved wooden bows on their backs, empty wicker baskets on their shoulders, and sharp hunting knives sheathed at their waists. They were primed for the hunt. 

“So, how often do you get out here for this?” Ennoshita asked curiously. His foot caught on a rock as he stumbled after the group, nearly causing him to marry his face with the ground. 

“Shh, don’t be so loud,” Tsukishima admonished, scowling peevishly at Ennoshita. “You want to scare all our game away or something?”

Ennoshita flushed in embarrassment. “Ahh, no. Sorry,” he whispered back.

The alpha narrowed his eyes. “You’ve never done this before, have you?” 

“Well no,” Ennoshita replied, “There’s not really a need to where I live. I mean, you can get almost anything from the supermarket.”

“What a waste of money.” 

“Yeah,” Tobio agreed, “Why spend money on meat if you can get it yourself for free?”

Ennoshita shrugged shyly. “W-well, I mean, there’s not really a place to hunt where I live either. Plus I kinda don’t even know how to hunt–”

“Don’t know how to hunt?” Tanaka sent the student a scandalized look, stopping his walk just to do so. The other pack members looked equally surprised, all turning to look at Ennoshita. “How could your family not teach you?”

“My family doesn’t really know either, to be honest.”

The confusion was present on everyone’s faces except for Ennoshita and Yachi. The pack members looked at the duo like they were the strangest beings to ever exist. “You come from a weird place, you know that?” Tsukishima said dully, and the rest of the group nodded in agreement. Ennoshita could only shrug lamely. His mind decided against saying it was pretty weird here too. 

“Well,” Tanaka began, “If you want to survive around here, then you’ll learn.” He gave Yachi a pointed look. “ _Both_ of you.”

“I-I don’t really think I’m cut out for that!” Yachi protested.

“At least learn how to use a bow for now,” Tanaka replied. Ennoshita and Yachi shared looks of reluctance, but ultimately agreed. It would be an experience, at least. 

“If you’re going to spend your time teaching them and letting all our game slip away, then I’m leaving to actually be productive for our pack.” Tsukishima stated, before starting off. 

“I’m going too,” Tobio looked at the trio, “You guys won’t be much help this way.” He shrugged at Yachi and Ennoshita. “No offense really.”

“Not offended at all,” Ennoshita replied. He honestly wasn’t. He knew he and Yachi were going to be bad at this. It’d be better if the others just left them here so they wouldn’t screw everything up. Tobio simply nodded and started walking off after Tsukishima, who glared his way. 

“Do not follow me.”

“I’m not following you!”

“I’m not working with you.”

“Oh yeah? Well I don’t want to work with you either!”

“Then don’t follow me.”

“I said I’m not following you!”

Tanaka sighed as the other alpha’s disagreements faded into silence as Tsukishima and Tobio walked further into the forest. “Well, that was that.” Tanaka smiled at the pair. “Why don’t we get started?” Tanaka took the bow in his hands, right hand holding the grip and left coming to rest on the taut string. “You want to hold it like this. The form is really important, so you’ll want to stand perpendicular to what it is you’re shooting at and have your feet about a shoulder’s length apart. Right here is where the arrow nocks into place,” he pulled an arrow from the quiver on his back, “and it fits in here like so.” Tanaka motioned for the students to come closer, and gave the pair a closer look at his handiwork. “Use three fingers to pull back, and pull hard, there’s quite a bit of weight to it.” He pulled back on the string easily, almost gracefully, a show of years of practice and dedication. “Your hand here should sit an anchor point; I use my mouth for that. It should stay there for each shot.” Tanaka took a deep breath. “Then, release.”

The arrow whizzed across the air before burrowing deeply into the trunk of a tree with a swift _thunk_. Tanaka looked pleased at the outcome, and beamed at the student pair. “Want to try?”

“You go first, Enno.” Yachi pushed her partner forward with a shaky smile, and Ennoshita sent her a look of disdain. Tanaka offered him the bow with a smile, and Ennoshita took it with reluctance while the alpha fitted the quiver on Ennoshita’s back. Ennoshita gripped the bow the way Tanaka had, nocking an arrow into place with slight difficulty and tugging back on the string, finding it held a great amount of pull. He looked at Tanaka for approval. 

Tanaka eyed his stance with a look of consideration. He came up next to Ennoshita. “Try not to stick your elbow out like that. Here. Hold it like this.” His hands came to rest on Ennoshita’s, and the student flushed. He held his breath as Tanaka adjusted his stance, and his face burned as he felt the alpha’s voice next to his ear. “That’s better. Don’t lose this stance, and make sure to keep your hand right here for the entire shot. Just relax your fingers to shoot.”

Honestly, Ennoshita hadn’t truly heard a word of what Tanaka said, only felt his breath along the shell of his ear and the warmth of his hands around his own. His fingers grew lax and the arrow shot from the bow, startling him. It shot past the tree, lodging itself into the grass some ways away. 

“That was good for your first time. Your aim improves with practice, which you get a lot of when you hunt regularly,” Tanaka said in approval, “Of course; no doubt you’ll be great with a teacher like me!” He laughed loud, and a group of birds flew from their tree at the sound. He turned to Yachi and looked at her with a pointed expression. “Ready to try?”

Yachi took the bow anxiously, her fingers shaking as she pulled back. The weight was heavy in her hands. “H-How do I…?”

“Pull back harder,” Tanaka instructed. He took her left hand and helped her with the draw. Ennoshita stared, frowning unconsciously, while an odd, foul feeling sank into his stomach. He didn’t really like what he was looking at. “The bowstring can be difficult to handle the first time, I know.” He helped Yachi lock her hand into place, and then instructed her to release the arrow. It shot just shy of the trunk. “Not bad!”

“I shot it!” Yachi exclaimed. “Enno, I did that!”

“Mhm.” Ennoshita’s lips were taught. “Nice Yachi.”

Tanaka helped them practice for a while longer, fixing their stances and helping with their aim until Tsukishima and Tobio trudged back to where the trio was practicing with the bow. The baskets on the alphas backs were heavy and filled with hunted game. “We’re done, no thanks to you,” Tsukishima sneered at Tanaka. “Let’s head back. Tanaka, you’re carrying this.”

Tanaka pouted, but couldn’t protest as Tsukishima had already slumped the basket onto his back. He pouted the whole way back while Tsukishima smirked at his displeasure. Once back at the den, the baskets were off their backs and the game laid out for skinning. Yachi and Ennoshita excused themselves once that started; neither felt they could handle watching or being a part of that. The door opened just as they reached for it, and Daichi popped his head out. The pack leader moved aside to let the students in, then called out, “Tobio, come here for a second.”

Tobio turned, his brow furrowing. He laid down his hunting knife and walked up to Daichi. “What’s going on?” he asked as he followed the older alpha inside.

“Something happened while you were out,” Daichi replied vaguely. “Something to Shouyou.”

Tobio tensed immediately, his jaw locking in place. His words felt heavy in his mouth, “What happened?”

“He fainted.”

 _“Fainted?”_ Tobio’s voice was incredulous. “W-what happened, where is he?”

“He’s alright, settle down.” Daichi placed a hand on Tobio’s shoulder in an attempt to help quell the young alpha’s nerves. It didn’t do much. “We got back from Koushi’s checkup and found him collapsed in the kitchen. He’s just fine now, only has a little scratch from a glass he dropped,” Daichi informed. He gestured in the direction of the hall. “He’s resting in your room right now.” 

Tobio was off in a flash, skirting down the hall and practically busting the door to his room down. Shouyou was in there, lying curled on the bed above the covers, a damp cloth plastered to his forehead. The omega’s brows crinkled in discomfort at the sudden loud intrusion, focusing blearily on his mate. “You fainted?” Tobio asked, his voice tense and accusatory. 

Shouyou sighed. “It’s not a big deal–”

“Dumbass, I _knew_ you’d been working yourself too hard!” Tobio interrupted, pointing an accusatory finger at his mate. “You’ve been so exhausted lately and still you’ve kept pushing yourself!” 

“But I wasn’t even tired today!” Shouyou protested.

“Then why’d you faint?”

Shouyou shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know… it just happened!

Tobio frowned, his arms crossing over his chest. “You _need_ to learn your limits. If you keep going like this you won’t be able to participate in the Tournament.” Shouyou pouted childishly at that. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself. Not anymore than you already have.” The alpha eyed his mate’s wrapped leg disapprovingly. He plopped down on the bed next to his mate, his fingers softly touching the bandaged injury. “You’re going to give me a heart attack someday.”

Shouyou laced his fingers over Tobio’s. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m really okay.”

“It’s my job to worry,” Tobio replied. “I always worry about you.”

“You don’t have to, you know.”

The alpha sighed heavily. “I know that, but I think with you, it’ll be impossible for me not to. You’re too important to me.” Tobio cupped his mate’s chin in his hand, and looked deeply into his eyes. “Promise me you’ll take care of yourself. Let me know if you start feeling bad.”

Shouyou met his mate’s gaze, smiling softly. “I will.”

Thing is, he wouldn’t. 

A few days after the fainting incident, things really started going downhill for Shouyou. He had started feeling really awful, and was even getting physically sick. The first time it had happened, he blew it off because he had eaten something really questionable the night before, but then it kept happening. Practically every day this past week he had gotten sick or at least felt painfully nauseas, and he was seriously questioning his physical state. The fact that this was happening got him plenty hopeful, but he wanted to wait a little just to make sure it wasn’t a false alarm. He’d been lucky so far that the only times he had gotten sick were when no one, especially Tobio, was around. He knew his mate would be worried, but he didn’t want him in all of his business until he sorted out just what was going on. Koushi sometimes got suspicious when he would quickly excuse himself from the conversation, but he never pushed it. Shouyou almost felt like he knew what was going on, like the impossibly perceptive mother he was. 

It’s not like Shouyou was going to keep his all of this a secret forever, he just wanted to wait until he was fairly certain it was morning sickness, and not just a bug. But it’s not like he could get away with hiding it much longer.

It was probably somewhere around five in the morning when Shouyou awoke. The sky outside was still colored a sleepy dark blue, but the first hints of dawn lingered on the horizon, a thin sliver of soft orange and red. Shouyou couldn’t really pinpoint why he had woken up, a troubling dream perhaps, but nonetheless he was awake. Tobio was snuggled up close to his back, his arm thrown heavily over Shouyou’s torso and his nose buried in the omega’s hair, spooning him from behind. Shouyou curled back into Tobio’s hold, feeling slightly guilty for keeping everything a secret from his mate, whom he had promised to keep informed. At the movement, his stomach churned distastefully. He froze in place at the feeling, the nausea building up. There was no denying that feeling, he was so familiar with it. Panicking, he shoved his mate off of his back roughly while he stomach roiled. He _refused_ to puke on Tobio. That had happened way too many times for him to get a pass anymore. 

He kicked off the bedsheets and scrambled off the mattress, a hand coming to clamp over his mouth as soon as the sickly feeling crept up his throat. He nearly tripped on the tile flooring of the bathroom, getting away with only stumbling a bit, before he collapsed in front of the toilet. He stomach lurched violently and then he was coughing up the remains of last night’s dinner. His throat burned as he expelled the contents of his stomach. The smell of the vomit only sickened him more, suffocating him with a repulsive nausea and forcing him to spew a mess into the toilet. It was a vile, abusive cycle. 

Footsteps pattered into the bathroom. Tobio’s concerned voice, still groggy with sleep, spoke softly as he approached his mate, “Shou? You okay, baby?” 

Shouyou shook his head back and forth frantically, only adding to the sickly, nauseas feeling. “Mmnnm! D-Don’t watch!” 

Tobio sighed and stood behind Shouyou, leaning over the omega’s crumpled form and pushing Shouyou’s bangs away from his forehead with his palm. His mate whimpered, and then leaned back over the toilet again. “Shh, it’s okay,” he soothed, his other hand coming to rub comfortingly over Shouyou’s heaving back. “I’ve seen you puke a million other times before.”

Shouyou spit bile, grimacing at the burn in his throat. “I-It’s gross…” he coughed out.

“It’s okay. You’re okay, Shou,” Tobio hushed. “Just get it all out. You’ll feel better.”

“You t-think I don’t know how to throw up or s-something?” Shouyou hissed. His words cut off with a gag and he dry-heaved, as there was nothing left to rid himself from anymore. He stilled, wary of the nausea that still lingered in his stomach, and coughed once more to test his stomach. He pushed away from the toilet after another minute of contemplation. “I-I think I’m done.” 

Tobio rubbed his back a few more times before leaning over and flushing the toilet and shutting the lid closed. He grabbed Shouyou’s cup from the vanity and filled it with cool water then helped his mate stand up slowly, and offered him the glass. Shouyou took it gratefully and rinsed his mouth of the foul taste of vomit, and when that wasn’t enough, reached for his toothbrush to clean inside properly and substitute the vomity taste for a minty one. Tobio wet a washcloth under the sink and wiped his mate’s face and mouth after Shouyou had finished cleaning his teeth. Shouyou sent him a pitiful look, and Tobio took him gently into his arms and circled his palms over the omega’s back. 

All banter aside, Tobio’s concern grew tenfold. “You okay?” he asked.

Shouyou nosed his alpha’s neck, taking comfort in the familiar scent that washed over his senses. “Tobio, I threw up,” he said, his cracking voice muffled in Tobio’s neck. 

“Yeah. You did. I just watched you.”

Shouyou pulled back to look his mate in the face. “No, but like… _I threw up_.” Shouyou waggled his eyebrows weakly, hoping his mate would catch on.

Tobio simply stared. He nodded slowly, his brows furrowing. “…Yeah. You _did_ ,” he replied dully. “What part of ‘I just saw you puke’ don’t you get?”

Shouyou shook his head, pouting. “Why would I throw up, Tobio?”

“Because you’re sick, obviously. Are you still half asleep or something?”

“I think it’s _you_ who’s half asleep,” Shouyou countered. “Remember what we were talking about after my heat?” 

Tobio looked at his mate, his brows still furrowed, but this time in contemplation. Shouyou watched his expression change from confusion to sudden awareness, Tobio’s eyes lighting up in wonder. He stared at Shouyou in blithe awe, his mouth flapping like a fish as he grappled for the words to speak. “W-wait, you… you think you’re pupped?” 

Shouyou’s churning gut warmed at the words. He bit his lip, the mere thought of being pupped exciting him to the point of elation. He sighed longingly and met Tobio’s hopeful gaze. “…Maybe?”

“Maybe…” Tobio echoed. He _so_ wanted it to be true. He could already feel the pride creeping up on him, his inner alpha stoked by the idea of his mate carrying his pup. Tobio’s eyes raked over Shouyou’s body, stopping at his abdominal area, feeling a thrill at the possibility of all this being true. Then, cold fear struck him. “Maybe we should wait a few more days, just to be sure,” he said hesitantly. Tobio wanted more than anything for Shouyou to be pupped. But he was much too scared of the alternative, of this possibly being a chance coincidence. He couldn’t bear to see Shouyou work himself up only to be faced with disappointment. Shouyou had waited so long for this; Tobio didn’t want to risk his mate being hurt over not having something he had agonized over for a year and a half.

“I have,” Shouyou said, averting his gaze guiltily. 

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve kinda… been getting sick for the past few days.”

Tobio looked at Shouyou in shock. “What?! H-how? I’ve never seen you…”

“I know…” Shouyou frowned. “I’ve sort of been keeping it a secret…”

“Shouyou…”

“I know, I know! I promised you and I’m sorry.” He pursed his lips. “I just… I really wanted to be certain about this.”

Tobio frowned unhappily, but inside, he understood. He’d let this go, just this once. “So? Are you sure?”

Shouyou bit his lip. “I think…? I’d like to get a test though. You know, to be completely sure.”

“Okay,” Tobio breathed, “Then let’s get one.”

“We should talk to Koushi about it.” 

“Yeah. In the morning.”

“You’re really gonna make me wait?” Shouyou pouted.

“You think _I_ want to?” 

Shouyou let out a heavy sigh. “Then the second he wakes up, we ask.”

The next couple of hours were agonizing. Both Tobio and Shouyou thought it’d be best if they rested for a little while longer, but they couldn’t sleep a wink with their nerves running haywire. They gave up trying around six, and decided on holding each other for comfort, neither saying a word, for both were too lost in their own thoughts. They were so close to having what they wanted, but couldn’t quite grasp it yet. It was frustrating and enthralling all at the same time. Just the simple prospect of _‘what if’_ sent them reeling. 

The first sounds of movement in the hallway sent jolts up their spines, and they practically leapt off the bed and out the door. When they found the noise, both practically groaned in frustration. It was Tsukishima.

“Well, _sorry_ I’m such a hindrance to your morning,” the alpha drawled sarcastically. “Not like I want to see you either when I first wake up.”

“Is Koushi up?” Tobio asked brittlely. 

“You ask me as if I know. Or care.”

Shouyou frowned at the tall alpha. “We need to talk to him.”

“Well, then maybe you should go find him instead of talking to me. I’m not your pregnant omega.” Tsukishima yawned, and then went for the kitchen in search of food.

Tobio and Shouyou were out of the room in a flash, and the next moment they were standing in front of Koushi’s and Daichi’s room. They could hear some faint laughing from the other side, so it was obvious that their target was awake. Shouyou raised a fist poised to knock and rapped against the wood. The voices inside hushed quickly and a subtle _‘shhh’_ could be heard, then some more chuckling. Shouyou shared a look with Tobio, who shrugged helplessly. 

The door opened to a flustered Daichi. His hair was a wild mess, his shirt was gone and there were hickies dotted along his neck. “Ah, Tobio, Shouyou – w-what do you need?”

“Is Koushi up?” 

“Oh, yeah yeah, he’s up.” Daichi looked reluctant to let them in. “You need him for something?”

“We need to talk to him,” Tobio replied. “It’s urgent.”

“Oh, okay,” Daichi cleared his throat, “Come in then.” He opened the door wider, and Tobio and Shouyou slipped inside. Koushi was on the shared bed, sheets sprawled loosely around his waist. A loose cotton shirt and a pair of night shorts adorned his shapely figure. His hair was quite a mess as well.

Koushi smiled warmly at the pair. “Have a seat guys.” He gestured to the foot of the bed, and the mated pair took a seat. “So, what do you need from me?”

“Well,” Shouyou started, sharing a look with Tobio. “Um, we think I’m… pregnant.”

“Oh, really?” Koushi feigned surprise. 

“Yeah,” Shouyou breathed. “I mean, I’ve been feeling sick a lot lately and I’m tired a lot of the time, plus, I threw up five times this week and it’s only Tuesday. And I passed out last week, and I don’t really know why.” 

“Mm, I see,” Koushi chuckled internally. “I take it you want to test your speculation?”

“Yes! _Please_.”

Koushi shifted off the bed slowly and waddled over to his dresser. “I think I still have some _asomira_ herbs from when I was testing for pup number two.” He riffled through a tiny carved chest about the size of a book, and pulled out a wrapped piece of wax paper. He approached Shouyou, and handed the item to the younger omega. “Now, to use the _asomira_ herb, you need to place it in a cup of your own urine and wait to see if the color changes red. If it does, you’re pregnant. The film on the herb will have reacted to a change in hormones, which comes with pregnancy.” Koushi smiled warmly at Shouyou. “Good luck to you both.”

Tobio could barely keep up as Shouyou sprinted out the room and down the hall to their room. He managed to make it to the door of their bathroom just as Shouyou slammed the door shut. 

“Shou, what the hell?” Tobio rattled the doorknob. “I want to be there when we find out!”

“I’m going to pee, just calm down! I don’t want you to watch me pee!” Shouyou yelled back. “You can come in after I’m done.”

Tobio frowned, muttering under his breath in disapproval. His palms rested lamely against the door, and he quietly listened to the movement on the other side. His nerves flared with every rustling noise. After a minute of agonized waiting, the door opened, and Tobio practically tumbled inside. 

“Were you waiting like that the whole time?” Shouyou asked. He unwrapped the wax paper and pull out brownish, spiky herb. 

“I’m on edge right now, babe.”

“Me too.” Shouyou took a heavy breath and held the herb in his hand. “I’m so crazy nervous right now.”

“Is that one of our drinking glasses?” Tobio asked suddenly, pointing to a clear glass cup on the vanity, currently filled with urine. 

“I didn’t have time to get another one!”

“Is that _mine_?”

“Tobio, the cup isn’t the focus here!” Shouyou burst. “Please, just… we’re so _close_.”

Tobio let out a breath, pinching the bridge his nose to calm down. “Okay… okay, let’s do this.”

Shouyou took several more breaths and rocked back and forth on his feet. He made several failed motions in an attempt to place the herb in the cup, but faltered each time. “Tobio,” his voice cracked, “Tobio, hold my hand.”

The alpha gripped his mate’s hand tightly. “I’m here.” He squeezed the smaller palm against his own. “Do it.”

Shouyou dropped the herb with a sharp intake of breath, almost a squeak. It sank into the liquid, small bubbles frothing around the leaves. Tobio and Shouyou stared at it in anticipation, watching, waiting. Then the color started to change. It started with a pale pink, and then it deepened to coral, before flushing a rosey red. Shouyou took in a shaky breath. “Red, right? I-It’s supposed to turn red, right Tobio? Red is positive?”

“Yeah…” Tobio’s voice was quiet, breathless.

“Tobio,” Shouyou choked, tearing up, _“I’m pregnant.”_

“Yeah,” he looked at Shouyou in awe, “Yeah, you are.”

Shouyou’s hand came to rub across his abdomen. It was amazing to think that he was already growing a life inside him, a part of himself and a part of Tobio. Tears started flowing freely down his face and when he turned to burrow himself in the arms of his mate, he saw that Tobio was crying too. The alpha pulled Shouyou against his chest, squeezing the omega tightly and planting shaky kisses in Shouyou’s hair. The stood like that for awhile, just crying and holding tightly to each other, rocking back and forth on their feet. 

After some time, Tobio spoke, “Y-You know, if I really search for it, I can already smell a change in your scent.” 

Shouyou met the alpha’s eyes, both of their cheeks stained with tears. “You can?” he choked on the words.

Tobio nodded. “Sweet milk. It’s faint, but I can smell it.” 

Shouyou’s face lit up in elation, and he tugged the alpha’s lips down upon his own. “We’re having a family Tobio,” Shouyou breathed against his mate’s lips, “I’m really, _really_ happy!”

“Me too, Shou. Me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It only took 14 chapters, but there we have it folks. Kagehina is having a baby. I seriously considered making them sad, but then I was like nah ‘cause I don’t really want this to be a sad fic. At least not yet. And besides you guys would probably kill me lol
> 
> Now for pregnancy stuff! Generally, pregnancy for Sulia is very similar to human pregnancy. Symptoms are practically mirrored. However, unlike human pregnancy which is counted as 40 weeks, Sulian pregnancy is 38 weeks. Humans track pregnancy from the last menstrual cycle, and since Sulia do not have a menstrual cycle, it is counted from the last heat/sexual encounter. So sometimes the estimations are a little off. One very key aspect in Sulian pregnancy is a change in scent. On top of the regular scent there is something new, the scent of milk (for obvious reasons). As the birthing time draws near, it is very typical for the carrier to create a nest for comfort. 
> 
> I'm leaving for California tomorrow, so the next update may be a bit of a longer wait 'cause I'll be there for a little while. I still have to pack ( ´△｀)
> 
>  _asomira_ : fertile
> 
> [ [Tumblr](http://shivers-writes.tumblr.com/) ]


	15. Different is Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She walked along, admiring the scene. A table lay in the center of the plaza, precisely laid out with cloth coverings and piled high with cooked meats and steamed rice, freshly baked bread and cheeses, grilled vegetables and abundant drink. Yachi had never seen a celebration so amazing in her life, and it only awed her more that all of this was done for _her_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> one of my key skills is failing at everything  
> this includes meeting deadlines

September made its debut. It was still quite warm, but thankfully the worst of summer’s heat had passed. For Yachi and Ennoshita the months just seemed to be flying by now. But this was a bit troublesome for Yachi. She was completely taken aback by the fact that it was already September, and it bothered her knowing that her birthday, which was in only a few days, wouldn’t be celebrated at home, or even, at all. No one knew about it anyway. Besides, she wasn’t even sure if they celebrated birthdays here.

Yachi did not want this fact to affect her, but it did, and it hurt deeply. She wouldn’t see her mom, her old friends from university, wouldn’t get a cake or a ‘happy birthday’ sung to her. As she thought of all of this, she was far too distracted by her own thoughts to even realize she was crying until Ennoshita tapped her shoulder, clearly wrought with concern. She looked up from documenting their research information with red, tearful eyes.

“Hey,” Ennoshita started softly, “Are you okay? You’re crying.” 

She sniffled. “I don’t know, Enno.”

Ennoshita sat down next to her. “Well, what’s wrong?”

A long, shaky sigh left her lips. “It’s stupid.”

“No, it’s not stupid if you’re crying,” Ennoshita countered, “It obviously bothers you.”

Yachi gave her friend a resigned look. “My birthday,” she whimpered, “My birthday is in a few days. I’m not going to be able to celebrate it.”

“Oh,” Ennoshita supplied lamely. He stared at Yachi’s computer screen in empty thought, the words on the document blurring into an unfocused mess. He understood where Yachi was coming from. He hadn’t even really thought about it until now, but every special event they would celebrate back home would now be done here, if they even bothered to mention it. It was sort of sad; they wouldn’t be able to be with their families during the holidays. “What day?” he asked.

“The fourth.”

That was right around the corner. He bit his lip. “Well… maybe we could do a little something?” 

Yachi only shrugged. “It wouldn’t really be the same.”

“Sometimes different is okay, right?”

She shrugged again.

Ennoshita sighed. He didn’t just want to leave Yachi sad about this. He knew that when it came to him, he would want to do something for his birthday, even if it was small. But he wasn’t sure what he could do on his own – all he really had to work with was his own belongings or the natural resources found in the nearby area. He didn’t really think Yachi would take to well to receiving an old T-shirt of his or a bundled of ripped up grass. That was… the most pathetic idea in the world. Nothing says ‘happy birthday’ like the shredded remains of vegetation and the old used shirt of a twenty-year-old man. Looked like the only way to access resources in order to make a cake or get Yachi a present was through his host family. 

So, with no other options available, Ennoshita’s solution was obvious. While he didn’t want to burden his host family in any way, technically this was their temporary home, and Koushi had said when they first got here to make themselves comfortable here; to make this place their home away from home. Shouldn’t they be able to celebrate their birthdays comfortably in their ‘home’, whether it was temporary or permanent?

Ennoshita left Yachi with no reply while he left the room to scout out the heads of household. After a thorough search of the den, he realized they weren’t around. He learned from Kiyoko that the Sawamuras had gone for a family walk around town, and weren’t expected back for a little while. So, he patiently waited, all while dodging a persistent Tanaka who seemed dead-set on making him flustered, which truthfully, wasn’t all that hard to do. One pointed glance from the alpha was enough to redden his cheeks and stutter his speech. He seriously prayed to whatever merciful forces were out there that Tanaka wouldn’t catch on to his awkward mannerisms and piece everything together, which so far, seemed to be working – by the alpha’s own obliviousness or not.

Soon enough, the Sawamura family came back, much to Ennoshita’s relief. Little Hotaru hobbled happily through the door while his parents trailed behind. Ennoshita quickly ducked away from a mildly flirtatious conversation with Tanaka and cornered them while he had the chance. 

“Hey,” he started, “I was hoping to ask you guys something.” 

“What do you need?” Daichi asked.

“Well,” Ennoshita’s hand came to thread through his hair, a sigh leaving his lips. “Yachi’s birthday is coming up on the fourth. She’s a little sad not to be home for it.”

“Oh my, I had no idea…” Koushi breathed, taken aback, “How old will she be?”

“Twenty, I think.”

The loud gasps of shock that came from both Daichi and Koushi startled Ennoshita. “Twenty?” Daichi echoed, and Ennoshita nodded again, not in full understanding of the tiny dose of horror painting his host family’s faces. “Oh no…”

“I wish we had known this sooner,” Koushi said, a sense of urgency in tone. “Oh, there’s so much to do now… it’s such an important year!”

“Oh, you don’t have to do anything crazy!” Ennoshita replied, “I mean, I think just having a cake would make her really happy. I could make one–”

“Just a cake?” Koushi frowned and shook his head back and forth disapprovingly. “For her _twentieth_ birthday? Oh no, no, no.” He shared a pointed look with Daichi. “That would be totally wrong.”

Daichi nodded in agreement, all stern and serious. “If it’s only a few days away, we better not waste any time.”

“No, no we shouldn’t,” Koushi looked back at his mate. “I’ll start talking to the others about preparations; can you go into town and work things out with the community?” Daichi quickly agreed and went back out the door while Koushi waddled away and started collecting the other pack members.

Ennoshita watched them hurry off with a blank stare. He didn’t know what was so pressing about it all, or why they had suddenly become so stressed. Yeah, Yachi’s birthday was coming up but there wasn’t a need to go completely overboard getting ready for it. Quietly, he muttered to himself, “I just wanted to make a cake…”

* * *

The next few days were filled with a quiet busyness. Every now then some of the pack members would gather in the kitchen and talk about to each other in hushed voices for a while, and then once they were done, they’d all scurry off out the door like they’d just found out the den was on fire. There always seemed to be a gentle murmuring in the air, and Ennoshita imagined it to be a vocalization of the slow rising excitement over… whatever it was everyone was planning.

Then came the fourth. 

It was early. The sky was in the grasps of nautical twilight, still dark, but gradually brightening. Silently, a figure slipped into Ennoshita’s and Yachi’s shared room. It crept over to Yachi’s bed, its shadow looming over her sleeping form. It leaned in close, reached out, and shook Yachi’s shoulder. Yachi groaned as she was roused awake. Her eyes blinked into the darkness, making attempts to focus on her surroundings, and then her eyes locked onto the figure standing over her bed. Cold fear flooded through her system. 

_‘A ghost!’_ she thought to herself, terrified, _‘T-this place is haunted?! Oh no, I’m gonna die here!’_

Yachi stared fearfully at the looming shadow. Her desperate eyes locked onto the bodily lump residing in Ennoshita’s bed. “E-Ennoshita!” she called out in a panic, begging for her roommate to hear her. “Help me!” 

The figure above stirred suddenly, and placed a hand upon Yachi’s shoulder. She yelped in surprise and flinched backwards. “Oh! Yachi, sweetie, its okay! It’s just me, Koushi,” a familiar voiced soothed.

“K-Koushi…?” Yachi squinted at the figure. Now that she looked for a bit longer, she could make out the omega’s facial features and the dark silhouette of his very pregnant figure. “I-Is that really you?”

“Right here,” he replied, his voice hushed. “Sorry to disturb you so early in the morning.”

“It’s okay… umm… do you need something?” Yachi asked.

“I need you to get up so we can start getting you ready. We’ve got lots to do, you know,” Koushi’s voice was gentle and soothing on Yachi’s ears, but also laced with urgency. “I know it’s early, believe me, you aren’t the only one struggling right now.”

Yachi shifted so she was sitting up, her brows furrowed. “What’s going on? What am I getting ready for?”

“We’re going to get you ready for the festivities.”

Yachi blinked. “Festivities…?”

“Your 20th birthday,” Koushi answered, smiling. 

Yachi slowly registered the information. “Oh.” Gradually, her eyes lit up in excitement and all her lethargy faded away. “R-Really?” she asked, surprised.

“Yes, really,” Koushi laughed quietly.

“W-What do we need to do?” she asked.

“Oh, so much,” Koushi replied, already sounding overwhelmed. “But don’t you worry about that, we’ll handle everything.”

Koushi lead the confused and drowsy Yachi out into the hall and through the gathering room. They didn’t stay, but instead moved into the adjoining dining room, where lantern light had spilled across the walls. Inside, there was already a not-so-lively party going on. A small group was already gathered around the table, all of them still carrying the haze of sleep in their eyes. Yuu was remarkably very alert for the time of day, though he still seemed to be struggling, staring blankly off into space the way he was. Shouyou looked like – and Yachi was almost certain that – he had fallen asleep, his head laying face first in his hands and his breath even. Yamaguchi was much the same as Shouyou, and Kiyoko seemed tired but she was still managing to keep it together. Bowls and painting brushes were sitting on the table, all filled with a different colored paste. Yachi only grew more confused looking at the congregation and the set-up. 

“Wake up everyone!” Koushi ordered quietly, his tone serious and commanding but still hushed. There were a few groans as everyone stirred, all slowly coming to attention and looking over at Koushi. 

“’m tired…” Shouyou muttered groggily, his eyes drooping. 

“I know we’re all tired,” Koushi acknowledged, “but it’s a very big day for Yachi, so I need you all to cooperate so we can make this special.” 

“Right…” everyone mumbled.

Koushi sighed. He walked to the end of the table and picked up a white garment and handed it to Yachi. “Here, you‘ll need to put this on. It’s for today’s celebration.” 

Yachi nodded mutely, still wavering on the edges of uncertainly. She went to change in the bathroom while the others worked to rouse themselves the rest of the way. Alone now, Yachi unfolded the garment and was struck stock-still at the beauty of it. It was a crisp, clean white dress. It was sewn together with layers and layers of chiffon; all cinched at the waist while the bottom flowed freely like water. The neckline dipped just the right amount, and the back was cut to reveal the smooth skin of her back. Carefully, Yachi changed from her clothes and slipped the dress on. Amazingly, it fit almost perfectly; only falling a bit too far past her ankles. Yachi marveled at her reflection in the mirror. Only her messy, sleep-tousled hair stuck out. She quickly smoothed it down, and everything fell perfectly into place. She felt like… _a goddess._

Hesitantly, Yachi stepped back out into the hall. She walked slowly to the dining room, anticipation rising. What would everyone think? What was the dress for anyway? It was beautiful, no doubt, but why for her? Did she really deserve something like this?

When she entered the room, all eyes were on her. Yachi reddened, feeling self-conscious under all the stares. “Wow… Yachi, you look really pretty!” Shouyou exclaimed.

“ _Very_ pretty,” Kiyoko echoed, smiling warmly.

“That suits you very well,” Koushi agreed, “Thank goodness. I was worried it wouldn’t fit…”

Yachi flushed further. She was hardly used to having lots of attention on herself – in any form really, be it positive or negative – but she _definitely_ wasn’t used to having people shower her in compliments while she was in the spotlight. It was nice, but terrifying and nerve-wracking at the same time.

She cleared her throat, which unsurprisingly, had closed up in her flustered state. “S-so, um, what’s the point of this?” She stumbled over her words, “N-Not that I’m ungrateful or think this is weird or w-whatever…”

“It’s meant to be symbolic,” Koushi explained. He pointed to Yachi’s pristine outfit, “Today is your fresh start,” he continued, “Anything you regret and anything you are ashamed of from your past; it is all wiped clean today. The white of this garment represents your new beginning. Like a blank page, it’s just waiting for you to fill it with your good intentions for the future.”

“Oh.” As she let that thought simmer, Yachi realized she had plenty she was ashamed of. Being here among the Sulia brought all her regrets to light. Growing up, she hadn’t exactly been the person she wished she could’ve been. Like everyone else, she judged things she didn’t fully understand, and created monstrous images of people who were nothing but kind and misunderstood – the unfortunate victims of cruelty and prejudice, their image and honor stained by a bloody past. She took things at face-value, relinquishing her own questions and curiosity out of fear of the unknown, fear of the vague shadow of animosity that the Sulia embodied – or so she had always thought. It was difficult to ever think otherwise, seeing as everyone else was believing the same thing, and sequentially passing on the Sulia’s bestial image to the next generation of gullible suckers. It all left a sour taste in her mouth.

“Take a seat for a bit,” Koushi offered, and Yachi nodded, taking up the empty seat next to Kiyoko. Her neighbor turned and picked up a burgundy bound book and flipped through the pages.

“Have a look at this here.” Kiyoko offered Yachi the book, currently opened up to a marked page. On it were drawings of various patterns and shapes with little descriptions beneath them, detailing their meanings. A color code was printed a few page flips from it, each color associated with its own evoked emotion ranging from passion to regret to empathy and much, much more. 

“What’s all this for?” Yachi asked curiously. Her eyes perused the various designs with rapt interest.

“These are used for many things,” Kiyoko explained, “We use them in art, clothes, courtship weavings, offerings, celebrations, ceremonies – it’s all to give something a deeper meaning. A greater purpose, perhaps. Like today, for example. To us, the twentieth birthday is a very special occasion. It’s the point of total maturity. It’s a chance to be forgiven for mistakes made in the past and to write one’s own future.”

“So… what are we using them for?”

“Well,” Koushi began, “you’re going to pick out the patterns and colors you’d like to use to represent what you want in your future.” Koushi pointed to the varying bowls of paste on the table. “Then you get painted. As the day goes on, the paste will stain your clothes, imprinting your hopes for the future onto the dress – your metaphorical blank page.”

“Huh…” Yachi blinked several times. She observed the patterns with greater interest, wondering just what she would want to use as a guide for her future choices. “That’s… really neat, actually. It’s just really different compared to how I’m normally used to celebrating birthdays.”

“Oh? Well, how do you normally celebrate birthdays?”

“Well, it’s typical to throw a party…” Yachi began, reminiscing, “All the birthdays I’ve had usually consist of going out to dinner with my friends or family and then eating cake afterwards. Guests will give gifts like clothes or money or something the birthday person asked for.”

“Ooo, sounds fun!” Shouyou said enthusiastically. “I guess nothing beats having a simple party with people close to you.”

As conversation died down, Yachi spent the next twenty minutes or so just flipping through the antiqued book provided to her and deciding on what she liked best. Eventually she came to her conclusions. A pattern of crisscrossing lines in a deep red color was her choice to have _empathy_ and _understanding_ – the red used to indicate her passion for her choice. A soft baby blue signified hope for her wish, the gentle color painted in intricate swirls all somehow connected to each other as a sign for _peace_. Sunflower yellow illustrated a longing for something, drawn in the shape of ocean waves for _courage_ and _determination_. All of these things Yachi knew she wanted. So with the book still open, the gathered pack members set to work on filling the white space of her dress with beautiful pastel patterns. Yachi almost felt like it was a waste to paint such a pretty dress, but decided it was more appropriate to follow through with Sulian traditions than make such a fuss. It was their gift to her, after all. Conversation gradually burst forth again, jumping around to various topics while the group worked, keeping their minds preoccupied as they painted in delicate strokes, the brushes sliding smoothly down the fabric and hued paste staining it in mellow color.

“If Nariko wasn’t still nursing, I might’ve actually had a little something to drink this year,” Yuu sighed, his brush meeting the white once again. “Such is the life of a mother, huh, Koushi?”

“I hear ya,” Koushi chuckled.

“Treat yourself to something, Shouyou,” Yuu joked, poking Shouyou in the side as he chuckled, “Have a little fun in my place, will ya?”

Shouyou bit his lip timidly. “Mm… I don’t think so…”

“You’re not having anything?” Yuu questioned curiously, his head cocked to the side.

Shouyou turned away sheepishly, dipping his brush back into the pinkish paste and sliding it back down the fabric. “N-no, not this year. I can’t.”

“Oh? Why not?” Yamaguchi questioned him this time.

“It’d be irresponsible of me…” Shouyou paused, glancing over the curious faces, seeming to contemplate something to himself. “See… Tobio and I found out very recently that, well… we’re expecting.”

“Get out of town!” Yuu exclaimed, overwhelming delight firmly knit on his features. “He finally got himself together and pupped you, huh? It’s about time!”

Shouyou laughed bashfully. “Well… it’s more complicated than that…”

Yachi spun around to look at her friend, disrupting the group’s painting. Her hopes for Shouyou were turning out! She was ecstatic that this was happening – the next few months were for sure going to be the most interesting. “That’s amazing, Shouyou!” she beamed, leaning over to hug him. “I can’t wait to see how things go for you!” 

“I guess this explains why Tobio’s been staring at you like a lovestruck idiot lately…” Yuu joked, “You’ve got his pup in there – I don’t think much else could make a mate any happier.”

Shouyou flushed pleasantly, a pretty pink coloring his cheeks. “Aw, you guys…”

Yamaguchi gave a forceful smile at the news and gave his own half-hearted congratulations. He tried to feel happy for his close friend; he wanted to desperately… but deep down, he was envious. Shouyou and Tobio had been mates for two years and now they were having pups of their own, but he and Kei hadn’t even mated yet. They were all the same age! How could those two already be so far along in their lives? And the others in the pack – so many of them had families too. It seemed everyone else was moving along with their lives while he and Kei just… sat still. They’d spoken of mating, yes, but… when would there be any action? _Literally…_

“Have you been to the clinic yet? Do you know if you’re having multiples?” Koushi prodded enthusiastically. Koushi absolutely adored pups. He was ecstatic Shouyou was going to experience having pups of his own. It was an amazing journey.

“I think we’ll go sometime this week. But oh my god, can you imagine if I _am_ carrying more than one?” A huge grin split across Shouyou’s face just thinking about it. “I think that might actually give Tobio a heart attack for real,” he chuckled. 

Koushi laughed along as well. “He’ll love it, don’t you worry. Alphas adore pregnancy in their mates – if anything he’ll fawn over you even more. I’d be more worried about finding any alone time with Tobio watching over you every second of the day. It’s like that with every first pregnancy – worried, protective, and sometimes overbearing alphas wary of every move you make, stressing over their mate and child. Happens to them all. Daichi was a mess when I was pregnant with Hotaru. Barely left my side to even take a bathroom break – he was so protective. ” Koushi smiled at the memory. “He’s eased up a little in terms of giving me a little personal space this time around, but he’s still just as antsy as he was with our first.”

The group spent the next few hours completing the intricate designs on Yachi’s dress and fussing over the baby news with each other. The rest of the pack slowly meandered in and out as they woke for the morning, offering compliments to the birthday girl and earning a flustered thank you from her in return. The colorful patterns adorning her ensemble seeped into the dress as time went on, painting the white garment with blending streaks of pastel color. Ennoshita made sure to sneak by a few times to snap some pictures – Yachi wouldn’t ever want to forget something so special. 

It might’ve been around ten when they were finally finished, and Yachi awed at the final product. The rainbow of colors that crept down the flowing skirt perhaps made the garment even more beautiful. A crowd gathered around her, each of them admiring the fine handiwork their pack had pulled off. 

“There’s just one thing before we head out today,” Daichi began, pointedly eyeing both Yachi and Ennoshita. “This celebration is held out within the rest of the community around here. Avoiding other people will be impossible. And your lack of scents will be… suspicious.”

“So… what should we do?” Ennoshita asked. He didn’t need anyone else getting their hackles raised over their lacks of scents. Because that had gone _so_ smoothly last time…

“Well,” Daichi continued cautiously, “one of us in the pack will have to scent you to hide that…”

The students cocked their heads. “Scent us how… exactly?” Ennoshita questioned warily.

Daichi pointed to his neck, his finger resting on the skin just below his ear. “There are scent glands here that would have to be used. Any volunteers would just have to rub their glands against your own necks a bit and hopefully that’ll last out the day.”

“Oh,” the pair supplied awkwardly. Wasn’t scenting more of a… _romantic_ thing? Like mates staking a claim on each other? 

“Don’t overthink this,” Daichi quickly reassured, seeming to read their thoughts. “You don’t need to take it as anything more than platonic. Plenty of omegas platonically scent each other as a sign of friendship and comfort. Think of it that way. You’ll be much safer.”

They both nodded rather apprehensively. If it could be considered platonic then… they supposed that was okay. A little weird thinking about, after all, it was hard for them to remove the romantic implications of scenting. But for safety’s sake…

“I can scent Hitoka,” Kiyoko offered. When Yachi sputtered some flustered mess of words, the beta smiled warmly at her. “I think you’d feel much more comfortable having a girl scent you, don’t you think?”

“I-I don’t know…” Yachi might’ve thought that to be more comforting… but Kiyoko was such a _pretty girl_ that it made it hard to think it was any less intimidating then having one of the guys scent her. Maybe it was even _more_ intimidating…

The press of Kiyoko’s neck against hers sent all her nerves running haywire. Her skin felt much too hot and maybe a touch sweaty and she felt a little embarrassed that such a beautiful girl was all pressed up against her icky, gross skin, and she knew Kiyoko probably hated every minute of it. Yachi’s head felt woozy as the scent of sugar and lilacs surrounded her like a downy blanket, encompassing her in its comforting warmth. When Kiyoko pulled away, Yachi’s eyes had glazed over – she couldn’t see straight at all. Kiyoko’s supportive smile blinded her. Jeez, what was this?

“I could do Enno,” Tanaka volunteered, sending the male student a cheeky smile. “We’re pretty close, right Chikara?”

Ennoshita nearly burst into flames at the use of his first name. _‘Maybe too close’_ , he thought quietly to himself. Tanaka looked far too excited to be doing this, his face all proud smiles and his attitude smug and bragging. Ennoshita could’ve died when Tanaka’s skin rubbed against his own, the alpha’s body so close he could feel every movement, every muscle contracting beneath his skin. The scent of petrichor and smoky summer fire filled his lungs, bringing him back to home and memories of camping trips spent in the mountains. How the hell could Tanaka pull this off?

“That should do just fine,” Daichi coughed, breaking the strange feeling that had filled the air. “Your scents, of lack of, should be masked now. Let’s head out.”

They large group walked for quite a while, passing by a myriad of houses cocooned within the hills’ grasps, earning congratulatory looks from passersby and welcoming greetings for the morning. After a bit of time, they came up what looked to be a town square of sorts, a large circle of cutesy buildings for various stores and other commercial purposes. The town was decorated for the occasion, dyed fabrics of varying colors hung off of building windows, flowing gently in the soft end-of-summer breeze and newly planted flowers were rooted comfortably in the soil of outside gardens. Music threaded through the air, a kind accompaniment to the idle chatter of people wandering about. The idlers seemed to stop what they were doing when they caught sight of Yachi and her group. They welcomed her into town with open arms and proud smiles, like parents would to their child coming home.

She walked along, admiring the scene. A table lay in the center of the plaza, precisely laid out with cloth coverings and piled high with cooked meats and steamed rice, freshly baked bread and cheeses, grilled vegetables and abundant drink. Yachi had never seen a celebration so amazing in her life, and it only awed her more that all of this was done for _her_. 

“Hey there!” a loud voice greeted her. Yachi turned to see an excitable man, hair some crazy combination of white and black and slicked back wildly as though he’d just been through a hurricane. He had owlish features, rounded, sunken eyes and thick jagged brows that made him look somewhat surprised or disbelieving. “Nice to meet ya! I’m Bokuto Koutarou, alpha and pack leader to the Fukurondani pack. We’ve all heard lots about you the past few days. Big day for you, huh?”

“O-oh, yes…” Yachi stuttered, feeling flustered. “I-I’m Yachi Hitoka. It’s nice to meet you too.”

“I bet it is!” Koutarou cackled.

The alpha received a disapproving look from the man standing beside him. “You’re scaring the girl, Kou,” Keiji supplied dryly. He pulled his mate away a touch. “Back it up and tune it down.”

“Aww…” Koutarou pouted childishly. “Well if I can’t be the fun, we ought to eat and start some! Please… have a seat.” He gestured to the table and both packs settled in, Yachi timidly sitting at the head of the table, much to her reluctance but ultimately surrendering to Koutarou’s insistence. They all settled in and allowed themselves to become comfortable. “Let’s make a toast!” Koutarou suggested loudly. He held up his drink and the others mimicked him, the table hushing up quick. “I toast to Yachi! You only turn twenty once, so live it up! We’ve all made mistakes, but today you can accept them and move on. I hope you can accomplish all the things you’ve written for yourself.” He raised his glass. “To Yachi!”

“To Yachi!” everyone echoed, then tipped their cups and drank. Yachi wanted to cry.

“And also,” Daichi himself started, “to the continued good relations between Karasuno and Fukurodani, our strong and wonderful neighbors.” He winked at Koutarou. “We’ll see you in the Tournament.”

“And we all already know who’ll win…” Koutarou smirked back. He held up his glass once more. “To peace!”

“To peace!”

The food was amazing. The meal was nothing short of wonderful, all full of kindness and amiable conversation from both packs. Yachi found she couldn’t dodge anyone’s attention for a moment – she was the centerpiece and everyone wanted to speak to her. After the meal, she couldn’t help but think she hadn’t felt so completely stuffed in her entire life. Sulian hospitality was something else…

Yachi was pulled to her feet and tugged away from the table. The soft background music that had accompanied the meal grew louder, and she found herself being pulled into dancing with the others, being spun round and round and dipped and twirled to the cheerful music. A moment later and she found herself held close by Kiyoko’s arms, the woman merely smiling softly at her and taking her own turn at dancing with the birthday girl. Her hands clasped within Yachi’s own, Yachi’s breath leaving her in a rush at the look of knowing lingering within Kiyoko’s eyes. They danced slow, waltzing and swaying to the music. Through all her shyness and embarrassment, Yachi couldn’t help but think that this felt so completely right.

From the sidelines, a wary pair of eyes watched the festivities closely. His mate bounced along to the music beside him, every now and then trying to urge Keiji to join along. Celebrations like this only happened every so often, after all. 

“I don’t trust them,” Keiji said suddenly to Koutarou, his eyes narrowed and mouth frowning, “That boy… Ennoshita Chikara… he’s hiding something. Didn’t carry a scent when I first met him and now he’s covering up his questionable nature with the scent of one of their alphas…” Keiji pointedly eyed his mate. “And the tiny girl, Yachi,” he continued, “she doesn’t have her own unique scent either. She smells just like their pack’s female beta.”

Koutarou’s crossed his arms while his brows crinkled up in confusion. He looked at Keiji, then back at the boisterous crowd curiously. “Mates, you think?”

Keiji shook his head. “No, neither of them have a mark.”

“So… what are you getting at then?”

Keiji narrowed his eyes at the celebrating group, all laughing and dancing like there wasn’t a care in the world. He stared suspiciously at the two curious subjects, the strange outliers within the Karasuno pack. “I’m not entirely sure,” he murmured, “All I can say for certain is that there’s something fishy going on within their pack. And I’m going to figure out whatever that is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys!! We’ve hit 1000+ kudos and over 18,500 hits!! Can I tell you how amazed and grateful I am right now?! This is a milestone I never expected to hit when I first posted this story. I still sit in shock sometimes just thinking about the overwhelming positive response this story has received. All of you have been so wonderful and supportive to me over the months this has been up. You guys made this happen! I’m so, so, SO thankful to all of you!! <3
> 
> Now I welcome you back to my learning corner! We're going to talk about birthdays! While Sulian birthdays are celebrated every year, the festivities are different depending on the age. Certain ‘key’ ages are given special ceremonies, which is about every five years. At age five a celebration is held for essential physical and mental developments, at ten for the transition into maturation, fifteen for being ready to find a mate, twenty for full maturity, and so on. During the years in between, a small congratulations and a special meal is given.
> 
> Also, fun fact: Yachi and I share a birthday!


	16. The Harvest Festival pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I can’t, Keishin!” Ittetsu burst, his breath coming so fast Ukai was almost worried he was hyperventilating. His eyes watered, threatening to spill over. “I can’t… n-not when I know you’ll leave again.”
> 
> It was quiet then, for a while. Ittetsu thought to shake himself free of his mate’s grasp, but Ukai wouldn’t let go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LIVEEEEEEEE
> 
> It’s been so long, and I’m really sorry guys. Unfortunately, a lot has been taking up my attention lately. Work and classes have been eating up my time, and I’m going through a bit of an existential crisis right now over being an adult and figuring out whatever the fuck it is I’m doing with my life. That’s lead me to shift my priorities over to things I really want to accomplish, so on top of work and school I’ve been trying to pull together a personal project of mine that I’ve wanted to do for years now. All of this put One Year (and any of my other stories) on the back burner for a while. I apologize for this shift in priorities, because that means updates are probably going to take longer. Please forgive me for that!
> 
> I'd like to clarify because I've had a few people ask (to my shame) whether this fic is discontinued. The answer is no! This story is not going to be abandoned unless I explicitly say I'm abandoning it. Chapters might take longer to get out, but the story is still going on! Thank you all for your patience! <3

Mid-September marked the start of the Harvest Festival, which would carry on through the first week of October with celebrations held all across the island. Over the past few weeks, preparation for the Tournament had lain at the forefront of everyone’s minds. With the festival now here, a combination of excitement and anxiety was left pumping fiercely through the veins of the competitors. 

The air was brisk and pure. Autumn slinked quietly in the shadows, preying quietly from the sidelines in wait for summer to weaken. The town was alight with color that spoke to the waiting festivities; banners of yellow, red, and orange were streamed from clapboard storefronts, open and waiting to share their treasures from the harvest with the celebrating Sulian community. It was loud with fellowship and gratitude, boisterous voices chattering to one another amongst the frenzy of the crowd and the echo of music in the background.

As a rule, in order to go out amongst the public crowds Yachi and Ennoshita were required to be scented by any willing volunteer. It was a bit of strange ritual, and more than a little awkward for sure. From what Yachi and Ennoshita understood of scenting, it was supposed to be quite an intimate gesture. Though the scenting’s purpose was meant to protect them, it was a still little hard not to take it as a sort of… come-on. And when taking everything into consideration, an advance certainly seemed pretty plausible considering it was always the same two people who were eager to volunteer for the job – Tanaka and Shimizu.

Regardless, Yachi and Ennoshita were nonetheless pretty excited about the festival – participating in a Sulian holiday was nothing short of fascinating. There was food – god, such amazing food – offered at every turn. The pack urged them to try everything, as they themselves were all too eager to share their own culture with the curious students. 

For a brief moment they managed to escape the mob and find a quiet little patch of field in a nearby park to enjoy their snacks with people who weren’t strangers. The group all settled down together to enjoy their lunch, the mates taking comfort with their partners and the parents keeping a stern eye on their children (Hotaru specifically – he was quite energetic at this time of day). A dull breeze washed by, pulling weak changing leaves from their branches and letting them fall daintily to the ground. It was peaceful, but not overly so. A soft echo of sound from the nearby festival still bled into their surroundings, just enough to remind them of the bustle going on some paces away.

Ennoshita checked his watch. It was about half past noon. “When’s the Tournament supposed to take place?” he asked.

“Technically it starts today,” Daichi replied, “but our event isn’t until the end of this week. We still have a few more days ‘til then, but if you’d like we can head over after lunch and watch today’s match.”

Ennoshita glanced at Yachi for approval. Her eyes were alight with curiosity, and he laughed a little inside at seeing her enthusiasm. “We’d love to,” he said. 

“Is that…” Yuu started suddenly, his eyes squinting to make out some figures in the distance. He stood up on his knees and leaned forward a little in some attempt to get a better view. Then his face burst into a smile. “It is!” he exclaimed, drawing everyone’s attention. He pointed an eager finger in the direction of the small group. “Coach is back!” 

Everyone jolted to attention then, all turning to look where Yuu had pointed. Sure enough, he was there. And this time, he looked right at home. Ittetsu looked on fondly as Jun and Seiichi clambered around in their father’s arms, each one vying for Ukai’s full attention as he struggled to keep them still enough to hug them properly, his own face painted with an ecstatic smile. 

Yachi looked at them, smiling at the sight of the reunion before her gut twisted violently. Her brows knit together and she tugged on Ennoshita’s arm to grasp his attention, and he met her eyes. They were swimming with guilt and it struck him still. She said nothing, but Ennoshita still heard her unspoken words whispering timidly, _“He has a family.”_

He shuddered then, because he’d never once considered it before. They’d learned some time ago of Ukai’s true nature as a Sulia, but never ventured further to think of what else he could be. It shouldn’t have been as striking as it was to know that he was a father – he was a man in his thirties and it was pretty common in human civilization to have a family at that point, but it was even more common in Sulian society where building a family was essential to their species’ survival and creating one started at a much younger age. To assume Ukai didn’t have a mate or children was stupid at best. And it killed them both to know that they hadn’t cared enough to even consider it.

This whole trip had always been about _them_ and _their_ goals – they’d never taken the time to think of the one person who’d gone out of his way to bring them here, or think of all he’d sacrificed to do so. Why would he ever agree to this if the consequences fell on him alone?

_**What made their cause so noble – so essential to rebuilding ties between humans and Sulia when it was this same cause keeping Ukai from his family?** _

“Coach!” someone yelled, starling them both from their unease, “Over here!”

Ukai turned at the voice, and he gave a little wave. He picked up his two squirming boys and said something to Ittetsu before walking over with his mate by his side and his sons in his arms. 

“Welcome back,” Daichi greeted, standing to offer a firm handshake towards the older man.

“Yeah,” Ukai said breathlessly, his eyes still fixed quite firmly on his sons and his smile still spread just as wide as he took Daichi’s hand, “It’s good to be back.”

“I can imagine,” Daichi said. The ties of a father to his children were strong, and he understood this better than most. Daichi didn’t envy Ukai at all – he doubted he would have the strength to be away from his family for more than a few days. Ukai was a damn tough man, and even that slight description would never do him justice. He tilted his head towards Ittetsu in sympathy and recognition. “Ittetsu,” he said, “it’s good to see you as well.”

Ittetsu nodded meekly. “I hope everyone’s been doing well.”

“I second that,” Ukai said, “How’s everyone got on since I was last here?”

“We’re doing pretty good,” Koushi replied, “Just putting in lots of work preparing for the Tournament, is all. It’s been pretty busy around here.”

“Shouyou’s pregnant!” Yuu announced, and watched in amusement as Shouyou flushed pink.

Ukai and Ittetsu both turned towards the couple in shock. _“What!?”_ Ukai sputtered, his eyes wide. Shouyou was sitting in Tobio’s lap and smiling giddily, his cheeks still tinted pink over being called out so suddenly. Tobio was looking back at Ukai with a smug expression, his arm looped tightly around Shouyou’s waist and his posture oozing confidence as if to say, _‘Yeah, I pupped him. What’re you gonna do about it?’_

Ittetsu laughed a little. He shared a look with Koushi. “Looks like its spreading.” 

The corners of Ukai’s lips turned up as he held his stare with the couple. “Were you pregnant in July and didn’t tell me?” He feigned a hurt expression. “You wouldn’t hide that from your old coach, now would you?” 

“No, no,” Shouyou laughed, “We just found out recently.”

Ukai whistled. “Damn. This is what happens as soon as I turn my back on you kids. You start making pups together.” He shook his head, amused. He pointed a finger at Daichi and Koushi. “It all started with you two! Going off and getting pregnant out of the blue like that!” 

Koushi laughed. “What, you want a warning or something?”

“It would certainly help,” Ukai said, still smiling, “I’m going to have a heart attack someday from all this excitement. You all are growing up too fast. I feel old now.” He sighed long and slow, and turned his mirthful eyes back towards Tobio and Shouyou. “Congrats you two. I’m sure you’ll be great parents to your rambunctious little pup.” He shook their hands, and they thanked him. 

Ukai and Ittetsu took their own seats amongst the group, and Ukai let his sons out of his arms though they didn’t wander too far from their father’s lap. His eyes landed on Yachi and Ennoshita, and his stomach flipped a little. He knew Ittetsu had noticed them there by now, as his posture had turn stiff and his eyes had grown cold. If they could at least live on some level of peace together, Ukai would be forever grateful. He wouldn’t ask for friendship between them, just a temporary truce.

“Ittetsu,” he started, and placed a palm on his mate’s thigh in calming, “I think I should introduce you to my students.” He felt Ittetsu’s muscles tense beneath his palm and watched as his lips grew taut. Ittetsu didn’t say anything, didn’t even acknowledge that Ukai had spoken. Ukai continued warily, “These are Ennoshita and Yachi; they’ve both been taking my A/B/O course back at the university and are very eager to learn more about our people.” Ukai glanced at his students, giving them a hard look that ordered them to be polite and courteous.

“I-It’s nice to meet you,” Ennoshita said, his voice wavering. Ukai’s mate was mad at them, no doubt about that, and truthfully Ennoshita didn’t blame him. If he were in that position, he’d be furious.  
Ittetsu barely spared him a glance. “It’s really not,” he said, his voice clipped. He stood abruptly then, pausing only to look at his sons as though he wanted to take them with him, away from the humans. He shied only slightly at seeing how closely they were clinging to their father, and thought twice about it before walking away from the group and into the throngs of people at the festival’s center. Truthfully, neither Ennoshita nor Yachi could bring themselves to feel insulted. They deserved it, in a way.

“Ittetsu!” Ukai called out futilely, his mouth pulled down into a frown. He shouldn’t have expected anything better from the situation. 

Yachi bit her lip in shame. This was no one’s fault but their own, and Ukai and his mate – his family – shouldn’t have to suffer for their simple curiosity. “We’re sorry, professor–” she started, but was quickly cut off.

“Don’t,” Ukai ordered. “Don’t you dare make me regret all that I’ve done to make this work. Don’t you dare make everything be for nothing.” He looked at them sternly. “People are trying to follow you. They think that just because you weaseled your way over here, its open season and all the tension that’s festered over the years between humans and Sulia has been erased, but it hasn’t. It’s very much alive, and it’s dangerous.” He frowned. “More than once have people hitched up boats to start off for the island, wanting to see these ‘Sulian curiosities’ for themselves. I’m barely managing to convince everyone else to stay away.” He paused. “I allowed you here for a reason. I had hopes that you could mend things somehow, and I believe the Council felt the same. Do you get it? This isn’t just some little project anymore. It’s about rebuilding connections. You’re the Council’s experiment. If things work out well with you here, the Council will be more willing to work out peace negotiations with the mainland.” Ukai looked off in the direction of the shoreline, its view shielded by miles of trees but somehow he still felt he could see the waves that lurked beyond the wall of green. “I don’t know how long I can keep everyone away. I’m just one man. I fear… one day they may manage their way out here. If that ever happens...” He didn’t finish his sentence, only left the idea hanging in the air ominously. The thought of it was enough to send shivers trembling down the spines of his students.

“I should go,” Ukai announced abruptly. “I want to enjoy what little time I have here with my family.” He nodded to Ennoshita and Yachi, a silent message conveyed between them with the simple gesture. “Take care of yourselves.”

When he left, it was deathly silent. Not even the sounds of the festival seemed to reach them anymore.

Tanaka cleared his throat and approached the stone-still students, a faux smile on his face. “You guys seem tense,” he noted. He clapped a hand down onto Ennoshita’s shoulder and shook him out of his fearful daze. “Don’t let everything bug you too much. You’re doing just fine. After all, everyone in the pack likes you lots!” Tanaka smiled again, this time a little more genuine than the previous. “C’mon. I’ll take you guys down to the games. That’ll take your mind off things for sure.”

* * *

The Tournament arena was loud and filled with a restless energy. From what Yachi and Ennoshita could gather, the Tournament seemed to be the Sulian version of the Olympics, but much smaller and not quite as polished. Some of the events were a bit different too, like the one they were currently watching, which resembled wrestling in a way. Tanaka said it was a sport about dominance, a duel between alphas to determine who was stronger. 

The rest of the pack planned to head down to the games a little later, so when they left it was just the three of them. Shimizu came down shortly afterwards to join them – apparently Hotaru had been throwing a fit and the noise was a bit too much for her to handle, so she figured she’d escape for a little while. So the small group of four settled themselves down into the stands to enjoy the entertainment. At least until…

“Karasuno!” Koutarou exclaimed, and despite the loud cheers of the spectating crowd, Koutarou’s overwhelming voice still managed to startle them. “I was hoping I’d run into some of you guys!” He hobbled over to take the seats behind their group, and Keiji followed behind him quietly with a tiny toddler in his arms. Koutarou glanced around. “Where’s the rest of your pack?”

“They said they’d be down later,” Tanaka replied.

“Ah, cool, cool! I’ve got to talk to Daichi for a little while when I see him.” He winked at Ennoshita and Yachi. “Keep an eye out for him, will ya?”

Yachi smiled at the little girl in Keiji’s arms. The kid wouldn’t stop staring at her for whatever reason, and it was kind of cute. She leaned a bit closer to them, to Keiji. “Is she your daughter?” she asked.

“Yes,” Keiji replied, smiling faintly at the tiny child, “this is Chihiro. She’s two years old.”

“She’s very cute.”

“Are you kidding me?” Koutarou interjected, looking insulted, “She’s not just cute, she’s _**adorable!**_ Do you not see her perfection? She’s just as beautiful as my mate!”

“And just as energetic as mine,” Keiji supplied, his eyes lying heavy on Koutarou as Chihiro squirmed wildly in his arms.

“You know you love my energy, babe.”

Keiji sighed, but Yachi didn’t miss the little flush of pink that dusted his cheeks for a mere moment. The crowd roared wildly at that moment as the match got heated, drawing everyone’s attention away from conversation. The female alpha in the ring had pinned down the male, who was struggling to throw her off of his chest. She was at an advantage however, being that she was a bit taller than the male alpha was and clearly still had much more energy left than he. They struggled and he nearly tackled her in the mix of motions, but she pinned him down again and kept him there until the referee named her the winner. The crowd went crazy, some hollering cheers at the girl and some showing their disappointment at their failed bets. The next two competitors readied themselves for their match as the crowd simmered down a touch.

Ennoshita shifted in his seat. He could feel they eyes boring into the back of his head, and turned just the slightest to see Keiji watching him. “Um, do you need something?” he asked awkwardly.

“Do you mind if I ask you a question?”

“Oh… sure, I guess.”

“I’m a bit curious,” Keiji started, “I understand your… condition… affects certain things. That’s why I’ve been wondering why you and Tanaka smell so alike.” Keiji leaned forward to sniff him, and Ennoshita fought the instinct to lean away and hide from Keiji’s curiosity. “I mean, you’re positively _covered_ in his scent.”

Tanaka, sensing Ennoshita’s distress, quickly chipped in. “Oh that?” he started, “Well, it’s not that strange considering that we’re courting.” He threw his arm around Ennoshita’s shoulders and Ennoshita stiffened. As if to punctuate his point, Tanaka leaned down and pressed his lips against Ennoshita’s cheek, and pulled away from him with a wet ‘smack’ against his skin. “See what I mean?” Tanaka goaded. Ennoshita was redder than red. 

Keiji furrowed his brows. “Well, that’s… interesting.” He looked them both over in scrutiny, his lips pursed. “An alpha and a male beta…” he murmured, “How uncommon.”

Tanaka stiffened like he hadn’t realized, and then shrugged casually to brush it off. “Yeah, what of it?” he challenged.

“It’s just quite odd,” Keiji supplied, “Your pack is okay with this?”

“I don’t care what they think,” Tanaka said stubbornly, “I love him and that’s what matters.” 

Again, Keiji’s expression scrunched up all confused. “What will you do about children?”

“Aw, Keiji, let’s leave ‘em alone,” Koutarou interjected, “It’s not really our business anyway.” His voice, while seeming to placate the awkward conversation, was betrayed by his eyes. They seemed to stare at Ennoshita and Tanaka with the same strangeness as Keiji had, his gaze verging on the road between discomfort and admonishment. “That’s for their pack to deal with.”

And while the subject was dropped after that, Ennoshita still felt their stares heavy upon them for the rest of the games, even as the rest of the pack came to join them for the events. As it was, Ennoshita believed Keiji knew something wasn’t right about them, whether that be because he didn’t believe that they were who they said they were, or because he did believe they were Sulia but frowned on the unconventional relationships both Ennoshita and Yachi ‘had’ with Tanaka and Shimizu. No matter what it was, either outcome couldn’t end well.

* * *

Late at night, things grew quiet. Most folks had gone home for the evening, retiring from the hectic activities of the festival to prepare for another busy day tomorrow. Ukai and family were no exception. It had been a long day, both pleasant and unpleasant. 

“Jun and Seiichi are asleep,” Ukai announced as he emerged from their sons' shared room. “They really wore themselves out today.”

From his seat at the kitchen table, Ittetsu hummed softly. Ukai watched his omega from across the room, watched as he rolled his tense shoulders back to ease some of the discomfort of a long day. He made his way over to his mate silently, slowly, as though not to startle him. He placed his palms gently upon the juncture where neck met shoulder, and felt how Ittetsu stiffened beneath him.

“Relax, love,” he said quietly, barely more than a whisper, “I’m here to take care of you.”

Ittetsu didn’t loosen his rigid form, but even still Ukai worked his fingers against the strained muscles in his back, physically coaxing him to listen to his plea. Gradually, Ittetsu did allow himself to give in, lying to himself in saying he’d only let Ukai in for just this moment. Though the palms against his skin were meant to ease his discomfort, Ittetsu found himself only aching more.

“Stop,” he said, his tone quiet just like Ukai had been, but shattered and wavering. “…I can’t.”

The hands stilled. When they pulled away, it was reluctant and filled with longing. Ukai’s hands found a place on the top rail of Ittetsu’s chair, sitting close but not nearly close enough.

“Do you know how hard I worked to make my way back to you?” Ukai whispered, his voice close and ghosting over Ittetsu’s skin. The omega didn’t even bother to hide his shudder. “After the storm, when Sasabe’s boat capsized, I nearly drowned out there on the sea. But I wouldn’t let it happen – no – because every time I thought I couldn’t breathe anymore I thought of you, Jun, and Seiichi and I said I had it in me to find another breath.”

“Keishin…”

“When those men pulled me onto their boat, I ordered them to bring me here,” Ukai continued, “They thought I was crazy, asking something like that, and took me to a hospital on the mainland.” He paused. “I ran out of there that same night. I was terrified; I thought someone might kill me if they found out what I was. So I found my way back to shore and stole someone’s boat, ready to make my way back home to you. I was found halfway out to sea in a stolen boat that had run out of gas, and got locked up for four months.” Ukai kissed Ittetsu’s neck then, as though it were some sort of apology for being so stupid. 

Ittetsu trembled. “Keishin, I really can’t…”

“When I got out, I knew I needed another way,” he went on, his lips against Ittetsu’s skin, “I said I’d either build my own boat or I’d buy one, so I made myself a job that I knew I could do. I forged some credentials and took up work at the university. I thought I could maybe make things a little better in the process, make the world a little safer for Jun and Seiichi. That’s why I wanted to help these kids so much, I thought they could learn something and make a change for the better.” He nosed the mark on Ittetsu’s neck, Ukai’s mark of claim. Ittetsu stood abruptly then, putting three paces between them. Ukai tried to hide his crestfallen expression at the move and said in such a soft tone Ittetsu had to strain to hear it, “I never meant to hurt you, Ittetsu. I never meant to leave you.”

Ittetsu almost looked panicked when Ukai crossed the distance and hooked his arms around his waist to pull him close. “Keishin, p-please I–”

“Stop pushing me away,” Ukai whispered.

“I have to!” 

“Ittetsu–”

“I can’t, Keishin!” Ittetsu burst, his breath coming so fast Ukai was almost worried he was hyperventilating. His eyes watered, threatening to spill over. “I can’t… n-not when I know you’ll leave again.”

It was quiet then, for a while. Ittetsu thought to shake himself free of his mate’s grasp, but Ukai wouldn’t let go. 

“I think it’s worse,” Ukai began, “to deny ourselves the chance to connect when we have it, then to wait until the end and repair the damages.” He hugged Ittetsu close. He leaned down to kiss him, but stilled just before his lips. “Let me in. Let me be the mate I’m supposed to be to you. Let me love you.”

When Ukai leaned forward to close the distance between them, Ittetsu let him. He let him close it again, and again, and again.

“Everyone’s off having pups,” Ukai said between kisses, “and I think I’m starting to get caught up in it all.”

Ittetsu placed a hand on his chest to stop him, his chest searching for breath. “I’m not having any more pups with you until you’re home permanently. If you think I’m going through a pregnancy alone–!” 

“I’d never let you in the first place,” Ukai placated, and then kissed him again, long and slow. Ittetsu whimpered against his mouth. “I wish I could take you though–god, I miss you, I miss getting to hold you like that–” He kissed down Ittetsu’s neck, felt him tremble and heard him moan as he mouthed the mark there. “It’s been so long – I doubt I’d last more than a minute.” 

“I doubt I would… either…” Ittetsu said, his voice breathless as he arched into his mate’s touch, his body crying out for more, crying about how much it had longed to have this.

Ukai brought his face back up and stilled as he rested nose-to-nose with his omega. “Will you let me love you?” he asked, and Ittetsu knew he meant it in so many different ways, and he was scared. His lower lip trembled.

“It’ll only make it hurt twice as much when you have to leave again,” he said, his voice cracking and struggling to survive. “It already hurts now. My whole body aches.”

“Mine aches too.” Ukai cupped his mate’s cheek, his own eyes glistening wet.

A tear betrayed Ittetsu, escaping him and trailing down his skin to kiss his alpha’s hand. “Make it go away,” he whispered.

Ukai kissed him then, whispering a promise against his lips, “I will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn’t planning on writing a smut chapter for Utatake, it was more meant to be implied, but I’m curious what you guys want. Anyone interested in some Utatake smut? I’d be down to write it – I want to get better at writing smut after all – and maybe post it as a separate fic. I suppose the reason I’m a little apprehensive is because there’s actually a planned smut chapter coming up pretty soon, so I didn’t want to spoil you too much. (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧


	17. UPDATE: not dead

I hope this doesn't annoy or disappoint anyone who was hoping for the next chapter of One Year and instead got a lame 'where I've been' update, but I have a lot to say and I want to make sure you ALL hear about it. To start (and don't crucify me for this), One Year is still on hiatus until I have time to write. I'm a college student and my class schedule and homework and club responsibilities have kept me very busy since we last spoke to each other. Being an adult is a lot harder than I anticipated and it's been a bit of a rough adjustment for me. I'm still kind of dangling in limbo on the whole 'what am I doing with me life' thing and dealing with bouts of pretty intense depression from it. Having time to write on my own personal works hasn't really fit into my headspace for quite a while as it's all been rented out to other concerns. I wish it wasn't like this. 

Another point I want to touch on is the fact that I've changed quite drastically in the past several months. I'm very different from who I was when I started this fic back in 2015 (which is still crazy that it's been that long), and my ability to connect with this story isn't nearly as strong as it once was. This makes me sad, of course, as I love you guys to bits and you've all been so completely supportive and patient and awesome through everything and I'd hate to let you guys down by leaving everyone hanging on for a conclusion. But I also don't want to write chapters that are crap as that wouldn't do this fic or you all any kind of fair justice. This internal dilemma further impeded my desire and ability to write. 

And yet... it's probably a certain facet of my personality that keeps urging me to finish. When I start something I generally don't let it go until I've finished it and it's up to my own personal standards. I still want to finish this fic and I'm going to try my hardest! This may end up meaning changes in format, meaning chapters may cover bigger stretches of time so I don't drag myself down with every little event/detail and lose motivation again. Things will likely be faster paced but hopefully still plenty interesting and enjoyable to you as more action comes along. I hope this isn't too disappointing as I know there's a lot of you out there who have so much you want to see out of this fic. I just might not be able to cover it all. (I also have to reread everything to remember what happened and what on earth I was planning next lol)

Basically that's it. I've been reading every comment you all have sent me over the months and even though I may not have responded, your words always made my heart grow warm. Ultimately, it was your comments that pushed me to return. You guys are very persuasive that way! So thank yourselves because you earned it!

I'll be trying to get some stuff started by fall break hopefully, so maybe you'll be hearing more from me soon. I love you all and I'm looking forward to getting back into the writing zone. Till then, have a good one.

-susurrusshivers <3


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